Birth of a New Demon
by AnimeCat
Summary: This is the sequel to Demons!!! New war! New pilots! New situations! Proof that a war can truly turn family against family.... R
1. Default Chapter Title

AnimeCat: Since I finished Everything I Own an hour ago, I decided to start posting this! I love this fic! Later on, some background info might be needed, so I'll include it in the end.   
  
In fic: Yes! Some certain people got married....can anyone guess?? This is a fic about the GW pilot's grandkids!! How often have you seen this?? Everyone was named after someone or other.... and I actually used the backgrounds for some of the pilots again for my pilots...but i don't remember exactly who or when. CUSTOMS!! YES!! I use the Custom suits in this fic!!!! Duo and Daye from Demons come in next chapter.....seeya then!!  
  
Note: I can't believe people liked the ending of Demons.... and, I suck at info on Colonies and all that, so no one flame me for misinformation.   
  
Disclaimer: I own basically almost everything in this fic except for an elderly Duo and comrades. Sue me for that and you're one wacky freak.....just kidding.... =P  
  
@-------  
  
Birth Of A New Demon  
  
  
~In After Colony 232, a six-year-old girl wandered around in a shuttle port on a Colony by herself. She hit her head, and lost her memory. She wandered into a shuttle headed for another Colony, and was taken in by an orphanage run by a church. Notices were posted all over the L2 Colony, where the Yuy, the Maxwell, and the Barton families resided. No response came for seven months, and notices were posted in surrounding colonies.  
  
Unfortunately, notices never reached L9.   
  
In After Colony 241, a war stirred from the Colonies, not concerning the Earth sphere. Only four Gundams were available to protect the colonies. Sandrock, HeavyArms, Deathscythe, and DeathsWings.~  
  
A. C. 241  
  
Kian sighed. A bell rang, signaling nine. She straightened her collar, the clerical one. Someone knocked on her door.  
  
"Come in." She said pleasantly. A middle-aged nun entered.  
  
"Kian?" She asked. "Are you coming to the morning service with the rest of the children?"  
  
"I'm still not sure, Sister." Kian sighed. "I'm very tired." She ran her hand through her shoulder-length chestnut hair.   
  
"Did you have another one of those dreams again?" The nun asked, concerned.  
  
"Yes." Kian said, nodding. "Its times like this I wish we did have a TV in the church. I've never even seen a Gundam, but I've always been having these dreams…"  
  
"Was it one of the old ones, or was it new?" The nun asked.  
  
"It was a different one." Kian said. "In the dreams, I'm always in this black one or a white one. Last night, I was in a white one, with big wings, like an angel."  
  
"Maybe it wasn't a Gundam at all, Kian, but a dream of God." The nun crooned.   
  
"God doesn't carry a gun the size of the church. At least not in any of the stories you've ever told me."  
  
"Don't get smart, Kian."  
  
"I'm sorry, Sister Marie." Kian said, bowing her head. She stroked her small golden cross with the faded engraved letters. "I still wonder why I'm here if the cross I was found wearing has my name on it."  
  
"There was never a notice of a missing girl your age, and we could find you no home. The last letter of your name had faded away, and we couldn't read it."  
  
"So all I am is Kian." Kian said softly. "I wonder what my real name is."  
  
"It could be anything." Sister Marie said. "If you want to miss the service, you may go out for the afternoon, if you wish."  
  
"Thank you, Sister." Kian said, smiling. She paused. "Tell me about the Gundams, please. If I've been having these dreams about them for so long, I need to understand something about them."  
  
"I do not know much, Kian." Sister Marie said, thinking. "But I know that there are supposed to be five Gundams. Something must have happened to the last one."  
  
"And the war?"  
"The Colonies are having some sort of civil war. It has nothing to do with the earth. Our Colony doesn't have much to do with it, being so far from the battle, but it's a battle between two major Colonies. The Gundams wouldn't come around here unless we are used as targets."  
  
"Thank you, Sister." Kian said happily. "I owe everything to you and the Zachariah Church."  
  
"It is a blessing to have you, Kian." Sister Marie said. "Have a good afternoon."  
  
The nun left, and Kian removed her black jacket with the clerical collar, leaving her with a white shirt, a black vest, and her black skirt. And they say church clothes are depressing. She didn't have a mirror, so she used the reflection of her glass window to straighten the chestnut locks of hair arching around her face, going to her chin. She brushed them away from her cobalt eyes. She looked into the window again, and faces flashed before her eyes. A young boy with her eyes, and a girl with her hair.   
  
Kian blinked the pair away, wondering. She arranged her cross to the middle of her shirt a final time and left the room. An image filled her head as she stepped out of the doorframe. She sank to the floor and let it sink in. She'd grown used to them by now. It was different from most. Instead of blinking images and messages, it was visions of several people, one at a time.  
  
*…A boy with rich violet eyes and waist-length chestnut hair, kept in a braid…"The God of Death is back from Hell," A girl with the same hairstyle as she, only sand blond and green eyes…"I am the Angel of Death," A boy with dark moss green hair and steely cobalt eyes…"I'm going to kill you…" A honey-blond haired girl with deep blue eyes…"Heero…" A girl with chestnut hair to her waist, violet eyes, "I am the Demoness." A boy with dark blond hair, "Aseka, don't be mad…"*  
  
Kian woke from her flashes with a startled jolt.   
  
"I need some fresh air," She said through gasps, "big time."  
~~~~~  
  
Solo reached over to Marin.   
  
"Remember," He said as she clutched his hand. He passed her a small electronic device. "If anything goes down at your school, call me."  
  
"What kind of colony is this," Marin said sadly, "where terrorist actions go down at schools."  
  
"It's only a precaution." Solo said, shrugging. "Remember what happened to my high school."  
  
"Six causalities and nineteen hospitalized." Marin answered.   
  
"Right."  
  
"But that was because--"  
  
"I /know/." He said spitefully, glaring at the little girl. Her chocolate eyes trembled. "It's my fault. I was stupid to think I could hide DeathsWings in the football field."  
Marin tossed her two-foot long sand-yellow braid until it looped over her shoulder.   
  
"Ssh." She said, putting her finger over her mouth. She gestured around. "Not exactly the place to talk about the Gundams."   
Solo followed her gaze and saw the crowded street, filled with cars, people, and hot dog carts.  
  
"Hn." Solo agreed in a grunt. His violet eyes darted from each person, almost as if he suspected each of them to be terrorists.   
  
"What's going down in your house?" Marin asked, adjusting her backpack, which concealed three types of guns and two knives.   
  
"It's getting weird. As /usual/." He said stiffly. "My mom is heir to a fund for the needy, and my dad is heir to a kingdom. Not a good combination. Mom complains that he needs to give some of the Peacecraft money to her cause, and Dad says, 'What money? It all goes to my mom's stupid school for rich kids'. I think he'll be the first Yuy to run a nation."  
  
"Then it's a good idea he doesn't get control of the institution. I can see the Sanq Kingdom's 'Total Pacifism' crack going down the drain. When Aunt Lela gets it, it'll get ten times cornier than with your grandmother running it." Marin said brightly. "And then with Quatrine…" Marin shook her head with anxiety.  
  
Solo stared at her.   
  
"What?" She asked. He stopped moving. She halted, wondering what was wrong.  
  
"How can you assume that Quatrine will get the institution?"  
  
"Because she's such a freak about pacifism…?" Marin said uncertainly.  
  
"She's not a Yuy or a Peacecraft. The institution is staying in the family."   
  
"Solo? What's wrong?" Marin asked. "You don't want to run the institution, you've told me a million times. What's up with you all the sudden?"  
  
"I can't run the institution. I'm not the oldest in my family." Solo said coldly. "My sister gets the institution and the nation. You know that."   
  
"Oh, Solo," Marin said softly, "you can't just…Kiane might not…"  
  
"She's alive." Solo said stubbornly. "And she'll come back someday. Mom knows it. And she's psychic."  
  
"But…"  
  
"Shut up, Marin." Solo hissed. "You're an only child, Marin Maxwell, you don't have a right to say anything."  
  
"I was only saying…"  
  
"Kiane Yuy is coming back home." Solo snapped. "No matter what anyone says."  
~~~~~~  
  
"There aren't missions anymore." Anthony said. "The only objective is to protect the outer colonies until the our colony and L3 work out their differences."  
  
"I wish I could have gone on a real mission like in the old days!" Cedric said, shooting an imaginary machine gun at passing cars.  
  
"No you don't." Anthony said, shaking his head at his son. "It was dangerous, and we could hardly even trust each other."  
  
"You guys didn't know each other." Cedric said. "Me and the guys are cousins. We kill each other and our aunts and uncles will kill us."   
  
"Funny, Cedric." Anthony snorted. Cedric reached over and poked at the "unibang" Cedric was fortunate enough not to inherit from his father. His platinum blond bangs fell in an even amount on his forehead. Anthony sighed deeply before attempting to brush the bang aside.   
  
As usual, nothing changed.  
  
Cedric laughed madly as the car pulled up to his school and he got out. Anthony rolled his window down to wave Cedric goodbye and saw a classmate of Cedric's passing them.  
  
"Isn't that…?" Anthony asked quietly. Cedric turned around and looked at the girl.   
  
"Sarra Shail." Cedric said, eyeing the girl with interest. Anthony raised an eyebrow at Cedric.   
"She's the daughter of some colony diplomat."  
  
"That's who I was talking about. Jeremy Shail. I didn't know she went to your school."  
  
"I have her in a few classes, even." Cedric shrugged. His mind was now occupied with thoughts of the girl with her sleek, knee-length navy-blue hair and sea green eyes. As she noticed his staring, she made an annoyed sound and stomped off. "But she don't like me too much." He said after a few moments.  
  
"Obviously."  
  
"Thanks, Dad." Cedric said dryly. He looked around again and saw the familiar static-attacked wild moss-green hair that belonged to his cousin. "There's Solo."   
  
"Bye, Cedric." Anthony said, rolling his window back up.   
  
"Seeya, Dad." Cedric said and he leaped off to join Solo. With a deep sigh, Anthony thought about the little Kiane Yuy, whom her family had such high hopes for, and now…   
  
*I guess we won't need to rebuild Wing Zero after all....*  
  
@-------  
  
AnimeCat: And??? Whatcha think?? Like my new characters? I have more and more as the story goes on........next chapter:  
  
Plans to rebuild the Tallgeese are in order!! But...who's piloting it?? Could it be this pretty redhead who bears a strinking likeness of Lady Une?? And who is her friend....and is he piloting the Epyon??? Bad news for L2....the Epyon and Tallgeese are gonna be fighting for L3....  
  
REVIEW!! I don't *have* to put up the next chapter... but if ya want it I will, gladly, because I love this fic! How many times have I said that...?  
  
Ja ne! 


	2. Default Chapter Title

AnimeCat: The intro of three new characters! Well, technically four, but we'll get to that later....  
  
I actually just lost all enthusiasm....didn't get any sleep, my mind has warped and I'm feeling quite ill.....  
  
@-------  
  
Birth Of A New Demon, chapter 2  
  
Kian returned to the church just later in the afternoon, surprised to see two older people with boxes assembled in front of the church, with her fellow orphans digging through the boxes.  
  
"Jake--" She called to a friend of hers. The brown haired, hazel-eyed boy looked up from a box and walked to her. "What's going on?"  
  
"They're from a salvage yard on a different colony. They're making a contribution to the church. Some clothes and stuff." Jake said excitedly.  
  
"Really?"  
  
Jake nodded.  
  
"That's cool!" Kian said, smiling. She looked at the older couple, who were helping small children into shirts or helping them reach into boxes. They weren't too tall, both were dressed in black with matching cross necklaces, one gold, one silver. The man had very long faded chestnut hair, kept in a braid and deep violet eyes. Kian arched an eyebrow. Never before had she seen an older man with hair longer than most women's. His partner, and apparently to Kian, his wife, had fading blond hair in the same style as Kian's, and electric green eyes.   
  
Kian found herself able to see them as teenagers only by closing her eyes. This she found highly unusual. Never before had Kian been able to see someone any younger than they were. And she /knew/ that was what they had looked like.   
  
"What'd you do this morning?" Jake asked, looking around.  
  
"I went out for a walk." Kian said. "I did some thinking. Maybe I should get a job so I can help the church."  
  
"What will you do?" Jake asked. Kian shrugged.  
  
"Anything I can."  
  
"Not a bad idea. I should get one, too." Jake said, giving the idea some thought. "Or at least get one so I could leave the orphanage. That way there'd be more space for some of the kids."  
  
"Looking for work?" A friendly voice said from behind them. They turned around to face the older man. He smiled at them kindly.  
  
"Uh…yeah." Kian said, wondering if he'd been listening and when he had come up from behind them.   
  
"You both are?" The man continued. Jake and Kian nodded. The man put out his hand. Kian shook it, then Jake. "Duo Maxwell." He said.  
  
"Kian Zachary." Kian said, giving herself the name of the church. Jake followed.  
  
"Jake Zachary."  
  
"Nice to meet you kids." Duo said, he turned in the direction of his wife and whistled at her. She turned and looked at him. "My wife, Daye."  
  
Daye waved in their direction before returning attention to the children. Duo turned back to them.  
  
"My grandson is too busy to help me, Daye, and my kids with the salvage yard. My granddaughter is too young, so we could use the extra hands." Duo continued. "We live on L2, though, which is kind of a dangerous place to live…considering…"  
  
"We'd have to leave the church?" Kian asked, not disappointed, but wary.  
  
"I guess you'd have to." Duo shrugged. "We'll pay your fare to the colony if you want the job, and we a have a place where you can stay. "  
  
"Cool." Jake said. Kian rolled her eyes.   
  
"Is it really dangerous?" She asked.  
  
"We've seen some battles…but never gotten involved in any." Duo said, thinking. Why did Kian get the feeling that Duo had a lot more to do with the battle than he would say? He looked at her hair. "Nice hair." He said, glancing over to Daye. "Pretty familiar."  
  
As Kian and Jake walked away to talk to Sister Marie about the job, Duo had another thought as he looked at Kian.  
  
*It's not just her hair that looks familiar…*  
  
~~~~~~~  
  
Solo furiously tried to unlock the door as the phone rang inside.   
  
"Come on!" He screeched hurriedly. He looked down at his keys.  
  
"Oops," He mumbled, "wrong key." He slid the right one into the lock and opened the door. He rushed to the phone, and it stopped ringing. He swore for a moment. Then remembering that if anyone was home, he could get in a lot of trouble. He looked around. No one. One thing he loved about staying over Uncle Jays' house to watch Marin was that he and Aunt Katrina were never home, but Solo always forgot.   
  
He always spent weekends with Marin on a totally different section of the colony when Jay made business trips with Katrina to different colonies for the salvage yard and fund. He remembered letting Marin go to a friend's house after school. He smacked his own head.  
  
The phone rang again, making him jump. He leapt toward the phone and answered it.  
  
"Hello?"   
  
"Well, you've done it, Solo!" His mother's angry voice shouted.  
  
"What?"   
  
"All your grandpa asked for was for a little help with the salvage yard, and what did you say? N-o-o-o-o-o. He just hired kids from L9 to work for him. Good going, Solo!"   
  
"Aw, Mom," Solo whined.  
  
"Aseka, give Solo a break. He's just not into the whole salvage yard thing…" His father said from somewhere in the room.  
  
"Kien! He inherits the salvage yard /and/ the fund from me! He's got to learn how to work!"  
  
"Good point," Kien mumbled. Solo prepared himself for another tongue lashing, but it never came.  
  
"So," Aseka said lightly, "how's my little niece Marin?"  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
The door opened before Zeke knocked. The familiar female face greeted him with a slight smile. She opened the door wide and welcomed him into her office. She motioned for him to take a seat at the business table, and she sat across from him.  
  
"It's nice to see you again, Zeke." She said warmly. She tossed her elbow-length red hair out of her face with a flick of her head.   
  
"You too, Luna Mar--"  
  
"No." She cut in, smiling and shaking her head. "I go by another name now."  
  
"What's that?"   
  
"I wanted a nickname after my grandmother. I changed my name when she died. I want people to remember her name forever even if it's my name now."  
  
"What did you change it to?"   
  
Luna giggled for a moment. "Lady Luna Une."  
  
"Pretty." He agreed.  
  
Luna straightened up. She closed her eyes. "We need you now. L2 is getting the best of us."  
  
"I thought we'd wait a bit longer before using the Epyon." Zeke mused, lifting an eyebrow. He brushed a piece of pale amethyst hair from his face.  
  
"No. The Epyon is what we need. The new mobile suits, Mars and Saturn, are strong and everything, but L2 can match them up with their older mobile suits like the Gemini or Scorpio." She said bitterly. She paused. "I'm even considering rebuilding the Tallgeese."  
  
"The Tallgeese?" Zeke asked, interested. "I thought… But who would pilot it?"   
  
"Me-- of course." Luna said sweetly.   
  
"Are you sure?" Zeke asked, concerned.   
  
"I'll be sure that the Tallgeese IV is built carefully for me."  
  
"Would you like me to oversee the operations?"   
  
"I'd be honored, Zeke." Luna said. Zeke smiled. Zeke stood up and began walking for the door. He turned around.   
  
"Goodbye, Lady Luna." He said, bowing his head. Luna smiled as he began walking out the door.  
  
"Goodbye, Zeke Merquise."   
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
Solo walked down the street with his hands in his pockets and staring at the sidewalk. He had to pick up Marin, then catch a ride back to his house, bringing her with him. He was taking as much time as possible.   
  
He looked up briefly to make sure he was on the right street. A car pulled up a bit in front of him and a girl his age stepped out, glanced around casually, then shut the door and began walking. He only caught a glimpse of her, but her wide sapphire eyes and flowing waist-length dark copper hair would stay with him for a while. As she walked away, he noticed she wore a fashionable blue silk dress and a chiffon trail. He found this remotely odd, considering where she was and how far she was to the only place Solo could think of that required that sort of dress. Not that he was complaining, at any rate.  
  
He was walking in her direction for a while before he reached the street he had to turn on. She walked calmly and smoothly, and he realized she was heading to one of the only Opera places the Colony had. *Why couldn't that car have taken her the extra mile? What a jerk driver*, he thought.  
  
He turned on the corner and didn't think of the girl again for a few days.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"This, " Duo said, pointing, "is the salvage yard."  
  
Kian and Jake looked around interestedly. "We've expanded, sort of, Daye kind of helped me start a program for the needy. My daughter works here with me and my son, but he and his wife are on a trip, so I guess you'll meet my daughter on Monday."   
  
"That's cool," Jake said. "What's our job going to be?"  
  
"Nothing you'd need training for." Duo shrugged. "Haul stuff, paperwork, help me and Daye around,"  
  
"We could do that." Kian agreed.   
  
"And you will--" Duo joked, "or you won't get paid, will ya?"  
This took a moment for Kian and Jake to understand. Once they did, they laughed.   
  
"Follow me." Duo said after they'd recovered. They followed him to a separate building away from the salvage yard office. He opened the door to show bunk beds on opposite sides of the wall. "You take one side," He said to Kian. "And you take the other." He finished to Jake. He gestured to a dresser. "You guys'll have to share it or something, 'cause we only have one."   
  
"No problem." Jake shrugged, glancing casually at the only bag he carried, the only one he owned. He doubted if its contents could fill one drawer.   
  
"Okay then," Duo said, preparing to leave, "you can start work on Monday."  
  
"B-but!" Kian protested. Duo turned to her.  
  
"Yeah?"   
  
"It's Friday afternoon." Kian said slowly. Duo blinked.   
  
"Have a good weekend." Duo shrugged. He opened the door and left.   
  
Jake turned to Kian with his eyebrows arched.   
  
"I like that guy." He mused.   
  
"He reminds me of someone." Kian said, thinking hard.   
  
"Who?" Jake asked. Kian shook her head.  
  
"I don't remember."  
  
@-------  
  
AnimeCat: Okay...end chapter 2...*looks doped* I need sleeeeeeeep.....*whines*   
  
This fic may seem confusing because it seems as if I start from the middle rather than in the beginning of the story. I made it that way....don't worry, things clear up, then get confusing again.....it's an endless waltz of confusion...... And anyway, the beginning chapters *are* weird, once the "Who is Who" crap ends, the story becomes much more interesting.   
  
Next chapter: Could Kian Zachary possibly be Kiane Yuy? (AC snickers at her own idiocy) When Aseka meets the young girl, things really take a turn for the bizzare. Who is the pretty French girl that drives Solo up the wall?? Kiane Yuy is about to reunite with her family...but what's this?? What is happening with Solo? Will Kiane lose the only brother she's ever had but never known before even getting to know him??  
Next chapter is pretty long....  
  
Review! 


	3. Default Chapter Title

AnimeCat: *sigh* My characters continue to dance the Endless Waltz of Confusion.... --I have become very attached to that name.....  
  
Aseka and Kian meet.....weirdo stuff happens and the the plot twists again. *readers all sweatdrop*  
New student at Solo's school.....damn, just realized how...erm...familiar the scenario is...think Episode 1... And with my new character comes my sucky attempt at French accents. And....WHAT DID SHE DO TO SOLO??? Dun dun daaaaaaaa....insert crappy mystery movie music here  
  
BTW, thanks minna-san *adds meg uchuno to growing loyalest r&r's list* There sure are a lota cool readers out there who review almost all my work, and even read my Originals. You know who you are!! ^_^ *hugs readers*  
  
BTW2, REVIEW!!!!  
  
@-------  
Birth of a New Demon, 3  
_  
  
Luna made a sound. Zeke turned to her.   
  
"What?" He asked.   
  
"I was just thinking about how many times this old boy has been rebuilt." She looked down at the Tallgeese.  
  
"I wonder how many times Epyon has been rebuilt." Zeke mused.  
  
"Twice(1)." Luna said informatively, holding up two fingers. Zeke smiled.  
  
"Are you suddenly the mobile suit expert here?" He laughed.   
  
"I've done my research." She giggled. "And you?"  
  
"Yeah, I've studied--"  
  
"When?" She asked as if she didn't believe him. Zeke went red.   
  
"Er…"  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
Kian and Jake walked around the colony, getting used to it.   
  
"This colony is really nice." Kian sighed happily.   
  
"I like it." Jake agreed. They stopped at a street corner to let traffic pass. As a group gathered around waiting for the same thing, Kian and Jake noticed the two people next to them were squirming and seemingly trying not to laugh. This wasn't odd, until one of them, a young girl with a bright blond braid and melting brown eyes, seemed to point at her and Jake. The boy looked older by a few years, with moss-green hair and dark violet eyes. Jake became irritated.  
  
"What?" He almost shouted at them. The two almost jumped back in surprise, but kept a sober face.  
  
"Sorry." The older boy mumbled. "No offense or anything, you guys just remind us of our grandparents. Not in a bad way or anything," He said frantically, "just your clothes-- and her hair," The boy said, glancing up at Kian's unusual bangs. Jake and Kian didn't respond, but they moved away from the twittering little couple.   
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
"God-- I love Mondays!" Cedric said brightly. Solo and Quatrine rolled their eyes at him. Marin giggled. "And I'd love them a whole lot more if you guys weren't so down all the time."  
  
"And I'd love them a whole lot more if you didn't sing, 'The Hundred Reasons I Love Monday' every Monday." Solo teased.  
  
Cedric took the opportunity and struck up a tune.  
  
"Oh, I love Monday!  
I love it very much!  
And if you want to know why--  
I'll give you 100 reasons…  
I love Mondays because--"   
  
"Shove it, Cedric." Quatrine said and Solo stuffed a tree leaf in Cedric's mouth. Cedric spat it out unhappily, and he quieted down.  
  
"Dang--" Marin said, disappointed. "Just when it was getting to my favorite part."  
Marin separated from them, going down the separate street that led to her middle school. Solo looked at Quatrine.  
  
"Why'd you come with us, Quat? You go to private school." He said. She tossed her ebony black hair off her shoulders. Then he realized she didn't have her uniform on, just a sliver blouse and ruby-red silk skirt.   
  
"I'm not going to school today, genius." She sniffed. "And Cedric is getting out early. I just felt like walking with you boys."  
  
"What's up?"  
  
"Mom is taking us back to earth to see our grandfather. We'll be back by tomorrow, though." Cedric said. Solo nodded as they approached the school. Quatrine stopped walking and waved goodbye. Solo and Cedric went their separate ways to their classes, and Solo, whose class was further away, was early.   
  
He sat at his desk and sighed heavily. The bell rang and all the leftover students rushed in as not to get caught by the teacher. She came in a moment later, followed by a new student. The teacher smiled and gestured toward the new student, who was a girl dressed in a sky blue V-neck blouse and a dark blue skirt with matching blue nails and a hair clip.   
  
Solo perked up instantly.   
  
*That's her! That girl from Friday. What's she doing here?*  
  
The girls' cold sapphire eyes swept over the class without the least bit of interest glinting in them. She looked totally bored. Her expression showed other things besides boredom. A look of learning. She was studying them…he realized.   
  
What for?  
  
"Class," The teacher said. "This is Harmony Earthe. An exchange student from…well, Earth." A ripple of laughter went through the class. Harmony smiled briefly.   
  
"Laugh eef you vill." She said with a French accent. Solo noted something besides the accent in her voice.   
  
Was that a…threat?   
  
He looked at her eyes again. He'd seen that look very many times. Full of conviction, full of total commitment. All of his grandparents shared that expression. Solo had known no other person with eyes like that.  
  
And his grandparents had been assassins. Three of them, at any rate. Duo, Daye, and Heero. Was that such a good sign? Maybe he should have a small conversation with Harmony. Then he slapped his own forehead. What on earth could he say? "Hi Harmony, my name is Solo Yuy and I was wondering if you were a private assassin. No? Okay."  
  
She took her seat right in front of him. Today he just might have trouble paying attention to the teacher.   
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
Kian sank to the ground while lifting a box of canned goods.   
  
"Kian!" Jake shrieked. He raced to her. "Are you okay?"  
  
Kian's head filled with images.  
  
*A pretty lady with chestnut brown hair looked down at her. "Kiane, " The lady said, "we're going with Daddy to take Uncle Jay to the shuttle port. Won't that be fun?"  
  
"I don't wanna go…" She whined. Why did her voice sound so young?  
  
"Oh, Kiane,"*  
  
She woke up from them a minute later, being shaken by Jake. "Are you okay?" He asked.  
  
"I'm fine." She mumbled. Jake helped her up, and they picked up the spilled cans.   
  
"Hey, kids," Duo's voice echoed over the yard. "I want you to meet my daughter."   
  
Jake and Kian looked up, and saw Duo at the gate with a tall brunette woman. They stood up to get a better look. The woman had her chestnut hair held up by a pin at the top of her head, and bright violet eyes. She wore a green dress, black shoes, a black trench coat, and a forest green headband on her forehead.   
  
"Is she in the Mafia or something?" Jake joked, eyeing the trench coat.   
  
"They do call it the 'Waste Management Business'," Kian shrugged.  
  
As they walked over to be introduced, they saw the woman grab Duo's arm with her knuckles white and her eyes wide as she saw Kian. Duo slapped his head.  
  
"Now I know why Kian looks so familiar." He said to himself. Kian saw it. She and the lady and the same hair color, and the shape of their faces was identical.   
  
"Her name is Kian?" The lady shrieked. She turned to Kian and walked up to her slowly. "Do you know who I am?"  
  
"No." Kian said slowly, slightly nervous.   
  
"Aseka Maxwell-Yuy." That lady said. She turned to Duo. "Don't you see the resemblance?"  
  
"Between you and her? Sort of." Duo shrugged.  
  
"Not just me!" Aseka scolded. "With everyone…you, Mom, Heero, Miss Relena, Kien, Solo, and…Kiane." She turned back to Kian. Kian was beginning to freak. Suddenly, Duo, Daye, and this Aseka lady looked identical to people in her visions. "Are your parents dead?"  
  
"What's with you, Big D(2)?" Duo asked, confused.   
  
"Dad, are you so old that you can't see it?" Aseka breathed. "Is it possible…?"  
  
"That what, Mrs. Yuy?" Kian asked. "And I actually don't know if my parents are dead or not. I don't remember." She looked at Jake. He shrugged and looked at her with confused eyes. Suddenly everything came together for Kian. She had been found in a shuttle port on L9…but where had she been before that? And her last vision had to have been a memory of the trip to the outgoing port.   
  
Did that mean what she thought it meant?   
  
"You look just like…" Aseka started, but broke off with her voice trembling with tears. Visions rocked Kian's head suddenly. Her body shook and Jake rushed over to support her.   
  
*"I'm a princess?" She heard herself asking.   
  
"I guess you can say that." A dark blond man said to her, smiling.   
  
"Is Solo a prince?" She continued.   
  
"He is, but since you're older than him by ten minutes, you get control of my nation that I inherit."  
  
"Is he angry?" She asked, her voice quivering.   
  
"No. But when you're older, always make sure that he gets his fair share of royalties. Make him Imperial guard or something, ok, Kiane?"  
  
"K, Daddy."*  
  
She opened her eyes to see Aseka. "You're psychic, aren't you?" Aseka asked.  
  
"Yes." Kian said with her voice tired and lazy. "You think I'm Kiane, don't you?" She said after a pause.   
  
"I suppose it's impossible, and I'm sorry I frightened you." Aseka said, her voice having dropped to something to make someone cry. Kian wondered about what she could say. She wasn't totally positive she was this "Kiane Yuy", but her visions were getting convincing. And these names were matching up to memories of hers, and visions. She recognized Solo, Heero, and…Aseka.   
  
"I've heard your name before." Kian said softly. "And I've seen you before…somewhere."  
  
She stood up shakily. She turned to Duo. Suddenly the vision she'd had only days before was making more sense than ever.   
  
"You!" She shouted, pointing at Duo. "I've seen you before…but you were younger…my age! You and Daye…oh my God--!" She shrieked. Duo covered her mouth frantically. She continued shouting with her voice muffled. "The God of Death and the Angel of Death! And all those dreams of Gundams!"  
  
Jake went pale. "I should go." He said frantically. He ran through the gates and down the street. Duo pulled Kian into the office, with Aseka on their heels. Duo let her go as Aseka shut the door.   
  
"You've dreamt of Gundams?" Duo asked quietly. Kian breathed deep. She looked at Duo and Aseka wildly. Wondering if she should run, or accept that they might be related.   
  
"I'm Kiane, aren't I?" Kian hissed. "And I'll bet that my entire family is a collection of psychos, psychics, and Gundam pilots."   
  
"You must be Kiane. The psychic thing was passed down from Daye to Aseka, and to my first granddaughter, Kiane." Duo said slowly. Kian calmed down. "And you're right. Daye was an assassin when we were younger. I was a Gundam pilot, and so were your parents, Kien and Aseka."  
  
Time stopped for Kian. So, she's my mom, and he's my grandfather. Daye must be my grandmother, and this Solo boy must be my brother. She thought harshly. Her expression softened. I have a family. I don't care what they do. Every fantasy she'd ever had about meeting her long-lost mother was gone. It was reality. Aseka walked slowly to her. Kian had always assumed that her mother would sob her head off and wrap her in a hug that choked. Aseka touched her cheek softly and smiled at her, looking into her eyes.  
  
"You have Kien's eyes, just like I remember. Beautiful silvery cobalt. You have my mother's hairstyle, but my father's hair color. And you have my face. You are Kiane." She said softly. She hugged Kian tightly, as if to ensure that it was real. It took Kian a moment for everything to process, before she hugged Aseka back madly, developing tears in her eyes. She felt Duo put his hand on her shoulder, and she stole a glance at him. He was smiling widely.   
  
"Daye did have her suspicions." He shrugged.   
  
"Dad," Aseka choked happily. "You won't mind if I take your employee out to lunch, would you?"  
  
"Only if she doesn't mind missing her first days' pay." Duo shrugged.   
  
"No problem, Grandpa." /Kiane/ said happily.   
  
~~~~~~~  
  
"So," Aseka said sighing. "It's your choice. We'll only rebuild the Wing Zero Customs if you agree to fight."  
  
Kiane stared at the table. "I guess so."   
  
"You have to tell me straight out, Kiane. Are you going to defend the colonies or not?"  
  
Kiane gulped. "I will." She said firmly. Aseka smiled at her gently.   
  
"You have a lot of family. My brother, Jay, kind of connected all of us pilots by marrying Lela's cousin. But only your brother can know about you for right now. With the war, they can't be distracted. In a few weeks or a few months we can tell them, once things have settled down."  
  
"It's okay." Kiane shrugged. "Do you have a picture of everyone?"  
  
Aseka opened her wallet and allowed Kiane to flip through the pictures of her cousins. She found a picture of a woman with white-gold hair and a man with black hair that was rather…pointy. She held back a laugh.  
  
"That's your great cousin, Lela, and her husband, Anthony." Aseka said. "When your father takes over the Sanq Kingdom, and since both of us have zero interest in pacifism, Lela will take over the institution. When you handle the nation, it's your choice if you want to take over the institution or hand it to your distant cousin, Quatrine."  
  
Kiane kept flipping. She came across a picture of a younger Aseka by a few years and a man with dark blond hair.  
  
"That's your father, Kien Yuy." Aseka said, almost laughing. "I met him on my first mission to earth when I was fifteen. We got married when we were twenty-two."  
  
"Was it one of those love-at-first-sight things?" Kiane asked. Aseka choked on her drink. She took a deep breath and laughed loudly for a moment.   
  
"Not at all!" Aseka giggled. "I thought he was an incompetent little fool. He won me over by sheer persistence. He was so annoyingly…sweet." Aseka said lovingly. "We named you 'Kiane' after 'Kien'."  
  
Kiane flipped again to a young man with rich yellow hair and electric green eyes standing next to a reddish-blond young woman with deep chocolate eyes.   
  
"That's Jay and Katrina from when they were dating. They had their daughter Marin when you and Solo were three."  
  
Kiane flipped again to see a teenage boy with wild looking dark moss-green hair and dark violet eyes.   
  
"Is this Solo?" Kiane asked softly. She laughed for a moment.   
  
"What?" Aseka asked.  
  
"I saw him on Friday! He said me and Jake reminded him of Duo and Daye, I mean, Grandpa and Grandma. How weird!"  
  
"He'll probably hit himself over the head with something when he finds out." Aseka mused.  
  
"I guess so." Kiane giggled. Aseka turned solemn.   
  
"He never lost faith that you'd come home."   
  
"Really?" Kiane asked, wide-eyed. Aseka smiled.  
  
"He'll be beyond happy to see you again."  
  
"Where is he?"  
  
"In school, now. But he'll be out soon. I'll call him at Jay's house. He usually does his homework there some days."  
  
"Okay."  
  
Kiane flipped again, turning to a picture of a girl and boy about her age. Kiane sighed deeply. These were two of her cousins, she knew it. It was so strange. Her cousins were so well raised, and so dazzling, they looked like movie stars or something. The girl with her shoulder length, shiny, ebony black hair and her crystalline blue eyes. And the boy, with his hair of white gold and dark emerald eyes.   
  
"That's Quatrine and Cedric, Lela and Anthony's children. They're your age." Aseka said.   
  
"Quatrine is a pretty name."  
  
"She was named after her grandfather, Quatre."   
  
"Was Solo named after anybody?" Kiane asked, looking back up at Aseka.  
  
"In a way. My dad's name is Duo, which means two. He had a close friend named Solo who died when Dad was six or so. And Jay's middle name is Trio. Two, Three, and One."  
  
"Who were you and Uncle Jay named after?" Kiane asked. Aseka squirmed.   
  
"We were…named after mad scientists." She said wearily. Kiane blinked.   
  
"Like what--?"  
  
"I was named after Madame L(3), for her real name was Aseka Likino. Jay was named after the scientist who trained Kien's father. Dr. J was just the only reasonable name to use. The only other choices were H, O, G, and I think…S."  
  
"Does anyone in this family have an original name?" Kiane laughed.  
  
"Nope." Aseka joked. Kiane leaned back in her chair.  
  
"I wonder what Solo's doing, right now…"  
  
~~~~~~  
  
"Excusez-moi, Solo?" The lovely voice of Harmony said softly. Solo turned around to face her,  
  
"Yeah. Harmony, right?" As if he'd forget!  
  
"Yes." She said. "I vas vondering eef you'd 'elp me wiz my 'omework. Being new and all,"   
  
"Sure!" He said enthusiastically. She smiled. Solo had a sudden chill. "You can come with me to my uncle's house. It's just down the street. I'll tell my cousin to walk with her friends. Meet me by the flagpole, okay?"  
  
"Of course." She said smoothly.   
  
The rest of the day went by agonizingly slow for Solo. He nearly skipped to the flagpole when the bell had rung. He saw she was there, waiting patiently for him.   
  
"Did you talk to your cousin?" She asked. "She vill not mind?"  
  
"'Course she won't." Solo said. "C'mon. The place is just down the street."  
  
Solo tried to have a conversation with Harmony, but she gave him short answers or none at all. She would merely nod or shake her head.   
  
"Where do you live?" He asked.  
  
"In a downtown apartment."  
  
"Oh." Solo said. Just not to make a fool, he made sure he had the right key for the door.  
  
She walked inside as he got his key from the door.   
  
"Zis is a very nice 'ouse." Harmony said. "You live 'ere?"  
  
"No. I stay over a lot-- that's all."  
  
"Ah." She said. A small beeping sound came from her backpack. She looked nervous. "May I 'ave a moment alone to use my phone?"  
  
"Sure," Solo said, directing her to Marin's room. She thanked him and shut the door.  
  
He waited by the door, not intending on hearing anything. He did accidentally, however.  
  
"I zought I told you not to call me during ze day, Lady F(3b)!" He heard Harmony scold. Solo freaked. Part of his training had included learning all the names of the mad scientists and their successors, but there was only one successor his family knew of. Lady F.   
  
"I 'ave no time for a mission, now! Eef you do not remember, F, I 'ave been already been instructed to eliminate Jeremy Shail, vat more do you vant? …I am sorry, Lady F. No…I 'ave not forgozzen my place. I 'ave made a discovery, F. In ze very school zat 'is daughter attends, is ze grandson of Daye Maxvell!" There was a pause. Solo began to shake. That's what she'd really wanted…to get close to the grandson of F's old friend… "I do not lie, F. 'Is name is Solo Yuy… And I 'ave done my research, F. 'E 'as a sister, but she ran avay ven she vas six…"  
  
Solo wanted to burst through the door and kick her French butt. She had no right to talk about Kiane…   
  
And then the door opened, and a flustered Harmony was eyeing him coldly.  
  
"I should 'ave known you vould 'ave listened." She hissed.   
  
"You are…" Solo started, but he couldn't finish.   
"An assassin. But unfortunately for you, you know too much."  
  
"What are you gonna--" He started, and she grabbed his wrist with too much strength for an ordinary girl. She pulled him close and held her finger to a part of his neck. He suddenly felt funny… he'd never been drunk, but he assumed that what he was feeling was very close.  
  
"Do not vorry, Solo. I liked you. So I vill take avay all feelings. You vill not feel vat I am about to do to you." She hissed into his ear. He felt something, all right, but it didn't hurt. He felt something cold and smooth slid in his back, between his ribs. It felt…strange. Suddenly it was gone, and his back felt cold and fresh. He felt like giggling. Suddenly, Harmony was gone. A moment later, his vision slacked off. And then, a splitting pain began in his back as whatever Harmony had done to him wore off. He put his hand back there, and found that his shirt was wet. He brought his hand back, and saw his fingers a rich scarlet red. Little black dots appeared in his vision, and the pain seemed distant.   
  
He had been stabbed...  
  
He heard the door open, and Marin stood there. She waved, then saw his hand.   
  
"Solo?" She asked nervously. "What happened? Did you cut-- Oh, My God!" She screamed and dropped her books as she saw more blood dripping onto the floor.  
  
"Marin…" He gurgled. He felt something he suspiciously thought was blood coming up his windpipe. "I think…I think…" He fell to the floor.  
  
*I think I'm going to die…*  
  
@-------  
  
AnimeCat: I certainly have habits of leaving off at a very crucial point, don't I?? MUWHAHAHA!! Traci14 doesn't call me the Cliffhanger Queen for nothing, does she??  
  
Tell me who your favorite character is? Pweeeeeeese??? For each character I worked on a different emotion, and I'd like to know what character I used it best on. From Demons or BoaND, aka The Endless Waltz of Confusion, aka Birth of a New Demon  
  
1- Okay, so shoot me!! I thought that Zechs would use the Epyon in the Endless Waltz and he didn't, but I didn't wanna mess with that paragragh. I hate having to redo parts of my stories because then I'd have to reread everything to make sure I don't copy myself.....well it's hell, and I didn't want to go through the trouble. I'm a very lazy kind of person...^_^  
  
2- Maybe one or two of you noticed the name Big D. I forgot to add the name Little D in Demons, or did I..? Well, anyway, I made up those two nicknames for Jay and Aseka. In my twisted world, I know who was born first and all that. Aseka is a half hour older than Jay, so therefore we have Big D, Big Demon, and Little D, Little Demon. I dunno, just wanted to say that....  
  
3- Aha!! Madame L was Daye's trainer, and Lady F(Nissa Fonatel) was a year or two younger than Daye and she took over when Daye went off, married Duo and had Aseka and Jay. She and Daye haven't seen or heard from each other since they were 20(they'd both be in their 60's by now). There's some more of that background info no one cares about...  
  
Next chapter: A trip to the hospital proves.....er...eventful. Read and Review!! 


	4. Default Chapter Title

AnimeCat: Ok! Chapter......*ponders* 4? Whatever....  
  
Harmony Earthe takes one of the lead roles in the story very shortly.... Why in the name of cheese does Solo like her so much????  
  
Daye explains background info, little bit about her going wacko on the boys... And later on, Duo gives complete info on how they met, some chapter soon.   
  
Read and Review!!  
  
@-------  
  
Birth of a New Demon  
_  
  
Kiane saw Aseka grow steadily more annoyed as the phone rang and rang.  
  
"He should be there by now." She muttered. Her fingernails tapped on her cell phone with annoyance. "I have the machine." She paused. "Solo? God, Solo, pick up! I don't care what's going down, you get your butt over to Noventa Street, pronto! There's someone you /have/ to meet. The second you get this message, you'd better-- Marin? Marin, what's wrong?"  
  
Kiane looked up at Aseka's fear-filled expression. Aseka's lower lip trembled. Then her fear turned into a fierce expression. "Call an ambulance. I'll call your mom and dad. Is he conscious?" Aseka asked forcefully.   
  
Kiane had a feeling that Aseka was using all the self-control she had so she didn't start crying and carrying on. But what was wrong?   
  
"Take off his shirt, and clean the wound if you can. Apply pressure. I'll be there as soon as I can." She hung up the phone and dropped some money on the table. She stood up quickly.   
  
"Kiane," Aseka beckoned, "Solo's been in an accident. We have to get over there, now."  
  
"Is he…okay?" Kiane asked fearfully.  
  
"He's been stabbed." Aseka choked. She slammed her fist into the wall of a phone booth. The person inside looked freaked as the glass crumbled and fell away. Aseka clenched her teeth together and her eyes clamped shut. A single tear slid down her cheek before they moved on. "Terrorists. I swear, if DeathsWings was still mine, I'd blow this whole damn colony apart." She growled with hatred.  
  
Kiane didn't know what to do, but she made sure not to lag behind Aseka. She didn't know how to respond to such a comment. They half-walked half-ran around two miles. Kiane heard the wail of an ambulance grow louder as they kept walking. The moment they reached the scene, Aseka burst into a sprint, leaving Kiane behind. Kiane didn't want to get in anyone's way, so she stood to the side. Aseka ran into the pleasant-looking house and came out a minute later accompanying the stretcher.   
  
Kiane's breath caught in her chest as she saw the boy with his dark hair and his closed eyes, and that serene look on his face.  
  
That was her brother, she acknowledged. The boy that had nearly driven her crazy with his laughing just two days ago. The little girl he had been with that day walked out a moment later, and locked the door, walking as if she was a zombie. Aseka walked back over to Kiane.  
  
"Watch Marin, will you? There's not enough room in the ambulance. When her father gets here, or when your grandfather does, whoever first, go with them to the hospital. Just tell Jay you're my employee."   
  
Kiane nodded, having lost her voice. Aseka gave her a quick hug and a quiet goodbye before racing back to the ambulance. A moment later it flew down the road. Kiane walked over to Marin slowly.  
  
"Marin-- right?" She asked softly. The little girl looked up at her with her eyes filled with tears.  
  
"Yeah." She croaked. She wiped up a few of her tears before looking at Kiane again. "Who are you?"  
  
"Kian Zachary." Kiane said without hesitation. "I work at the salvage yard."  
  
Marin nodded slowly before bursting into tears again. Kiane put her hand on the girl's shoulder. She felt that a hug was what the girl needed, but Marin didn't know that she and Kiane were related at the moment, and Kiane thought better of it. There was a moment of silence. Kiane looked down, and saw that Marin had frozen, staring at her hand. Kiane shifted her gaze and instantly felt sick. Marin's hand was covered in Solo's blood.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
*Where…am…I?* Solo thought wearily, unable to open his eyes. He could hear very well, but he was just too tired to open his eyes. And his back hurt. He could hear someone crying, no, a few people crying. *I'm not at my own funeral, am I? Freaky! No way. I must be at the hospital.*  
  
The beep of a heart monitor confirmed this. Solo felt his foot twitch involuntarily.   
  
Suddenly a door slammed open. He heard a few surprised sounds come from his guests, which had to be his family.   
  
"Who are you?" He heard his father demand. Then, the voice. The lovely foreign voice that had haunted his mind all during his coma...  
  
"I am 'Armony Earthe," He heard her say in a panicked voice, "it vas I 'oo did zis to Solo!"  
  
More sounds. People gasping and dropping things. "What?" His grandfather shouted.   
  
"It vas a mistake!" She sobbed. Harmony, crying? Oh, don't cry, I'm not mad…  
  
"What do you mean, 'A mistake'? You stabbed my son!" His mother screamed. Another loud sob from Harmony.  
  
"I zought 'e vas a nosy civilian! I only knew zat Daye Maxvell vas 'is grandmuzzer! I only knew names, I didn't know vat he vas!"  
  
"What do you mean?" He heard his uncle ask coldly.  
  
"I vas trained by Lady F." She said in an almost apologetic tone. He heard someone go and shut the door quickly.  
  
"What?" His grandmother choked quietly. "You were trained by Nissa?"  
  
"Yes, mademoiselle," Harmony continued to cry. "But I did not know zat he vas also Duo Maxvell's grandson, too! I 'ad no idea zat 'e vas my ally! I did not vant to kill 'im, but 'e overheard me talking to Lady F. You understand, mademoiselle, do you not? The importance of my mission? Only you could truly understand."  
  
"I…understand. But I want to know why it took you so long to confess." Daye said stiffly.  
  
"I 'ad a mission." Harmony said quietly. "Once it vas over, I came right 'ere."   
  
"What was your mission?" Daye continued.   
  
"To eliminate Jeremy Shail. 'E vas a traitor to zis colony." Harmony answered stiffly.   
  
"What?" He heard Cedric shout. "You killed Sarra's father? How could--"  
  
"Cedric!" He heard Lela yell. "Calm down!"  
  
"Did you not 'ear me? 'E vas a traitor. Plans to bring back ze Tallgeese vere in order. No longer, zanks to me."  
  
"But still--" Cedric faltered.  
  
"I 'ad no idea 'e vas not only Daye Maxvell's grandson, and ven I found zat he vas 'Eero Yuy's grandson, and Relena Peacecraft's as well, I panicked! I didn't know zat, and Lady F did not tell me! Can you ever forgive me?"  
  
There was silence. Solo wanted to speak so badly…to say that he forgave her…but he didn't have the strength.   
  
"Solo forgives you," He heard his mother say stiffly, "so I suppose I can."  
  
"Aseka…" His father whispered hoarsely. "How can you…"  
  
"I'm psychic, Kien, remember? I know that he forgives her." She said coldly, as if she really didn't want to, but loved her son enough to forgive the girl that stabbed him, as long as he forgave her. Harmony burst into tears again.   
  
*What's with all the crying? I'm not dead yet! And I thought assassins were supposed to be heartless......I guess not.*  
  
"Harmony," Daye said softly. "Look at me. Do you know why I quit being an assassin?"  
  
"No, mademoiselle." Harmony said truthfully.  
  
"The training drove me to a point where I was practically a serial killer. I had a style, and I was heartless. I even went insane. The Gundam pilots saved my mind. Only one of them is here right now, and he's my husband. For the first time, I was looking at what I was doing from the eyes of a spectator. I finished my job, and washed my hands of the whole thing. The training will always threaten my sanity, as it will yours."  
  
"Mademoiselle…"  
  
"If you had the heart to come and apologize for a botched assassination, your training was weak. That's not your fault. Madame L trained Nissa and me and she wasn't very good. Therefore, you run the risk of going insane even sooner than I did. Think about that."  
  
"Je comprends." Harmony said softly in French. "Pouves-vous m'aider?"  
  
"I can't. Solo can."   
  
He felt her touch his cheek gently. "I'm so sorry, Solo. Do not die, Solo." She whispered. " I vill see you again, Solo. But I am going now."  
  
And he slipped back into sleep.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
"You work for my aunt?" Quatrine asked Kiane. Kiane nodded. "But why did you come with us to the hospital?"  
  
"She was looking after me, Quat." Marin said, continually wiping her hands with napkin after napkin.   
  
"Why are you doing that? Stop that! It's getting on my nerves!" Quatrine scolded. Marin shuddered momentarily. Her lower lip trembled, but she continued to wipe her hands. Quatrine slapped Marin's hand. Marin looked up, startled, and Kiane wanted to slap Quatrine's face, even though she didn't even know Quatrine.   
  
"Don't hit her." Kiane said coldly, passing Marin another napkin from the bin.   
  
Quatrine bit the straw of her drink in surprise. "What?"  
  
"Don't hit her. You don't know why she's doing that. You didn't have to hit her."  
  
"Kian," Marin said sweetly, "it's okay. Thanks." She continued to wipe her hand. It was turning red.  
  
"Marin…why are you doing that?" Quatrine asked slowly. Marin froze and put the napkin down, and held her hand to her chest with her eyes shut.  
  
"Do you know what happened at the scene?" Kiane asked Quatrine to divert attention from Marin.   
  
"No. I just got back an hour ago." Quatrine said.   
  
"Marin found Solo." Kiane said in a final sort of voice. Quatrine's eyes widened.  
  
"Marin, oh my God, why didn't you say something?" Quatrine whispered, laying her hands on top of Marin's red ones. Marin sobbed for a second.  
  
"He was just standing there like nothing was wrong." She choked.   
  
"Marin,"  
  
"And I saw him staring at his hand like he'd never seen blood before. I-I-I thought he-he-he'd cu-cut himself. Then I saw th-the b-b-blood all over the f-f-floor… He tried to talk to me…but he passed out… Then Aunt Aseka called just a second later…She was telling him t-t-that she wanted him to m-meet someone…"  
  
Kiane felt a pang in her chest.  
  
"I picked the phone up…and she told me to t-t-touch the wound…and I got his blood all over me… Oh, Solo!" And Marin burst into tears.   
  
Quatrine looked around. "Mom said she'd come down when I could go up, where is she?"  
  
Kiane looked toward the door of the cafeteria and saw a girl with waist-length, dark copper hair run by the door, crying her eyes out. Kiane excused herself to another table to calm herself down. After a little bit, the rest of her family came down in small groups at a time and arranged themselves all over the cafeteria. Duo and Daye came down and sat in a remote corner, both of them pale and tired-looking.  
  
Eventually Aseka came down and sat next to Kiane. They didn't say anything. Kiane watched her relatives, amazed that she finally had blood relatives. She looked over to Duo and Daye, and saw Duo deeply involved with a bottle of heavy alcohol. Occasionally Daye would reach over and grab the large bottle and take a drink herself before passing it back to him.  
  
"Is he an alcoholic?" Kiane asked softly. It couldn't be a good thing, him downing the drink in such great amounts. Aseka looked over to him.  
  
"No." She said after a moment. "Growing up, my dad drank like a fish, but there was never a drop of alcohol in our house. He only drank occasionally, but when he did, we're talking about Hangover City and Hallucinationville."  
  
"But the way…"  
  
"He's drinking now? He's upset. He and Solo have been very close ever since you disappeared. And Mom, even I'm a little surprised at her. She was as wacky as he was, but she never drank. This is the third time I've ever in heard of her drinking in her life."  
  
"When did she?"  
  
"Theres now, then when I was ten after an accident, and exactly nine months to the day that Jay and I were born."  
  
"Uh." Kiane made a small distinct sound. Aseka grinned at her.  
  
"Yea." She said strangely. "Me and my brother were both accidents. It didn't matter to us, though. Our parents loved us and treated us as good as any."  
  
"Wow." Kiane smiled. She turned solemn. "How's Solo?"  
  
Aseka looked away. "He's stable. It turns out that the girl who stabbed him rushed in and admitted everything."  
  
Kiane's jaw dropped.   
  
"Are you kidding me?!" She nearly shouted.  
  
"Kiane, you are part of a strange family. And strange things happen to us."  
  
"I see that." She said. "Um, Mom, right?" She asked nervously. Aseka gave a sudden, beaming smile.  
  
"Yes." She breathed happily. "You call me Mom." And she smiled brightly again.   
  
"Where's Dad? You're gonna tell him about me, right?" She asked quietly.   
  
"Yes. When we get home, I will. I can't do it now, with everyone here. I've already talked to Dad. He won't spill."  
  
She looked back to Duo, who was a lovely shade of red, and Daye not far behind.  
  
"Are you sure about him drinking that much at his age?" Kiane asked worriedly.   
  
"I never liked it, believe me." Aseka sighed. "He'll be up later with a wicked headache, but he'll be fine."  
  
@-------  
  
AnimeCat: Today I started my own doujinshi for this saga, I got to to the part where the nun comes in to see Kian in chapter 1, and that took all day. ^_^ It was fun, if I ever manage to finish it maybe I'll do one for Demons, too.  
  
Whatcha think of this chapter?? If you review, just include the name of your fave character, you don't have to explain why or anything. I think Aseka is still my fave....though I have to say Luna ranks up there with Harmony. I get more into Luna and Harmony later, don't worry. ^_^  
  
Next chapter: Marin fights in her suit, Deathscythe. It's in horrible shape...(think about it, it's like 50 years old...) and she fights anyway. Then she sees the great white suit....Tallgeese!!! Jake comes back and starts helping out....Luna shows signs of betrayal to her colony....and Solo's heart turns to Harmony...does she feel the same?? AWWW!!!  
  
Read and Review!!! 


	5. Default Chapter Title

AnimeCat: Well, chapter 5!! I'm rushing this saga and I know it, because for one thing it's longer than Demons, it has two installments of its own, and I really want to start some new projects. Hey, at least I don't make ya wait more than a day for the next chapter, eh? ^_^  
  
I'm usually pretty good at battle scenes, sometimes, at least....this isn't my best...actually my worst is later on, and then my best...  
  
Marin uses the Deathscythe and then meets a friend.  
  
Solo begs of Harmony to stay by his side so that he might protect her....but she's hesitant...why?  
  
Luna goes against Zeke, who she happens to love, if you haven't picked up on that from their meeting, and what's this? Zeke Merquise wants to launch an all-out attack on Colony L2 to get rid of the Gundams? Why would Luna oppose that?? She's L3's chief commander, shouldn't she want the Gundam gone? Why doesn't she?  
  
Review!!  
  
@-------  
  
Marin went home, and began to feel better. She sat down at her computer and took a deep sigh. She turned it on and signed online. It was about time she checked up on the enemy. And she was right, something was going down, just a few miles from the colony. There was an enemy transport moving at top speed for L3.   
  
Not a good thing.   
  
Time to board the Deathscythe.  
  
Her mom and dad were already asleep, so she stalked out of the house and made her way to the old base. She found the four Gundams there, all lined up, Deathscythe, DeathsWings, Sandrock, and HeavyArms. Marin smiled. She's hadn't even touched the Deathscythe since she learned to pilot it a few months before.  
  
"Hey, old boy." She said lightly. "Be needing your help today."   
  
She remembered when after they'd all learned to pilot, that Solo had offered to trade the Deathscythe for DeathsWings, due to the fact that DeathsWings was a girl's mobile suit, but Marin had become attached to Deathscythe.  
  
Marin just /loved/ the Deathscythe Hell Customs. She didn't really mind the Sandrock Kai Customs, or the HeavyArms Kai Customs, and she was sorry she never had seen the Wing Zero Customs.   
  
No time to think about it now. She jumped into the Deathscythe and the mobile suit came to life. She left the base, and went out to find out what the enemy had to take to L3.   
  
Within minutes, she was approaching the carrier. She noticed a few mobile suits coming up from behind her. She turned around and saw seven Neptune and five Mercury ready to attack.  
  
"Surrender." Was the command.  
  
"You're kidding, right?" She giggled. A slash of the scythe, and jabbing the pole of the staff into the control system blew the first Neptune to pieces. She fired the Vulcan guns, and two Mercury went bye-bye. She put the Verniae output to the maximum and shot toward the carrier.   
  
Marin wasn't very experienced, and she wanted to get the carrier before Deathscythe was seriously damaged.   
  
"Come on, Deathscythe, don't give up on me now…" She muttered as it shook madly from the Neptune's beam canon fire. "Left leg immobile… Low on fuel? That can't be." She said urgently. She looked down. Deathscythe had a huge gash on the fuel tank. "Damn!" She hissed. "I'll bet this never happened to Grandpa or Dad!"  
  
She brought the scythe down lightning fast, and the carrier exploded, taking another Mercury and a Neptune with it. Marin smiled triumphantly. But something was wrong…. She looked carefully, and saw something float away from the destroyed carrier. A white mobile suit that Marin instantly recognized. "T-T-Tallgeese…" Her voice trembled.   
  
Was the pilot in it? She couldn't fight him…it was impossible. She was already in a losing battle with just a handful of regularly manned suits, and she couldn't fight much longer.   
  
No…it continued floating. She was about to bring the scythe through it to destroy it, when the Neptune attacked again.   
  
Marin shrieked in pain as an electrical shock went through her body. The control panel exploded in a rush of white fire, and bits of computer parts shot with bullet speed from it, severely cutting her arms and head.  
  
"No, No, NO!" She screamed, and the Deathscythe went limp. The Neptune fired again, drifting her toward the colony. She blinked blood out of her eyes. The Neptune were retreating to rescue the Tallgeese.   
  
The Mercury watched her, making sure the pilot was dead. Marin breathed deep. Chances of survival were nonexistent if they decided to attack again. She had one oppurtunity…when the Neptune got far enough away…she could use the scythe and use the last of her fuel to make it to her colony. That was it. If not… She opened up a transmission to the base. No one was there, but eventually they would go there, and they would find her transmission.  
  
"This is Marin Lila Maxwell. I thought I could handle the Deathscythe on my own. I was wrong…I'm sorry, Mom, Dad, everybody. If you guys ever find Kiane…tell her hi for me. I hope she's as nice as that Kian girl is…hey! What do you know…their names are alike." She paused. "I want Solo to know I love him and I hope he gets better… And Mommy, tell Daddy to stop swearing all the time…it's not good." She was beginning to fell sick, very sick. She was only twelve…and this might be the end. She hadn't said "Mommy" or "Daddy" in years.  
  
Her chance was coming…but her arms were weak from the shock. She could barely move them. She couldn't miss the chance! She tore the scythe through the last Mercury and fired the engine. Nothing happened. Then, at the last possible second, the engine roared to life and she sped toward the colony. The Neptune didn't follow.  
  
Marin took a very deep breath. She was still for a moment before bursting into tears. Her body hurt with unnatural pain…burning, aching, and her head was throbbing. The cuts on her arms and head were stinging and bleeding all over her face. She wiped blood from her eyes, nose, and mouth, and took a breath of air between sobs. She passed out a few minutes later.   
  
Her head hurt even more when she woke up. She shook her head to clear it, and saw all the screens blank. That was bad. She couldn't see out…she could be anywhere drifting in space. She pounded on the dead controls, and the screens flickered. They flickered again and she could see. She was…  
  
Inside a colony? How'd that happen?   
  
But it was true. The Deathscythe was hunched over inside the colony in a remote area. *The locking gates must have opened for me…* She thought, and looked behind. The locking gates were right behind her. *But who opened them?*  
  
She kicked Deathscythe's gates open, and tumbled out. She heard someone utter a loud, surprised shriek. She looked up from her spot on the dirt to see a boy. He looked like he'd seen a ghost. He was brown-haired and hazel-eyed. Marin's first impression of him was, of course, that he was cute.  
  
"What the…" He whispered. "Is that a…?"  
  
"Gundam?" She asked. "Yeah. It is."  
  
"You were piloting it? No way! You're just a kid!" The boy shook his head.  
  
"Please help me up." She said softly. He took a reluctant step toward her, and helped her up. "I'm not /too/ young. My father and my grandfather were only fifteen."  
  
"Are you okay?" He asked gently, sitting her down and letting her lean on him for support. She took a breath. She wanted to nod, but she shook her head.   
  
"No. I'm not, right now. I'll /be/ okay, but right now…I want to die." She managed a smile. Then she turned solemn. "Can I trust you?" She asked coldly.   
  
"What?" He asked. Marin's hand drifted down to the holster at her waist. She made no other move.   
  
"I won't repeat myself." She continued in the same voice.  
  
"But…what do you mean?" He asked.   
  
"Will you turn me or Deathscythe in?"  
  
"What…?" He asked. "Why would I do that?"  
  
"What colony is this?"  
  
"L2." The boy informed her. Marin breathed. L2, her colony, would never think of her as a threat. She knew people were hoping that the Gundams would save them. But she didn't know this boy, even though he looked familiar.  
  
"Will you?" She demanded. "I'll have no qualms about killing you to shut you up."  
  
"N-n-no." He stammered. "I'm Jake Zachary."  
  
She looked at him, with a little smile. "I'm Marin Maxwell. Thank you."  
  
"Maxwell?" He asked, with an unreadable expression. "Are you related to Duo Maxwell? Old guy, runs a junk yard and a fund for the needy?"  
  
"Yeah I know him." Marin said, surprised. "He's my grandfather." Then, she remembered where she'd seen the boy, Jake, before. "I saw you on Friday with…yeah, I saw you with Kian!" It was the same boy.  
  
"Yeah! You were with that guy!" Jake exclaimed. "You guys laughed at us. How do you know Kian?"  
  
"Solo is my cousin…he was stabbed yesterday. Kian took me to the hospital."  
  
"That boy, Solo, was stabbed? God…I'm sorry. Is he okay?"  
  
"I don't know…he might be." Marin said sadly. "Would you come with me to my house? I don't have the strength to walk. I need my dad to take care of the Deathscythe."  
  
"Yeah…okay. Do you know where Kian is? I need to talk to her."  
  
"She's probably with my aunt. My dad can give you a lift."  
  
"Then let's go."  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
When Solo finally opened his eyes, and everything was dark, his first assumption was that he's gone blind. He spent five minutes in total terror, until he saw a twinkling of stars outside his window.   
  
"It's night…oh thank God…" He mumbled.   
  
Damn!   
  
That means no one's around to see him! He's been semi-conscious for a bit, but unable to open his eyes. Visiting time must have ended hours ago. But then…  
  
"Solo?" Someone asked as if they couldn't believe it. He slowly turned around as they flipped on a small light.   
  
It was Harmony.   
  
She was drenching wet. He could hear rain hitting the roof.  
  
"Harmony…" He breathed hoarsely. His throat hurt. "How did you get in here?"  
  
"I opened ze vindow. I am a very good climber." She said with a slight smile. "I 'ad to be ze one to see you avake. I owed it to you."  
  
"It's okay…" He sort of slurred his words together. She shook her head.  
  
"I should 'ave studied better. It vas /my/ fault." She pointed to herself.  
  
"Don't worry. I'll be fine." He said positively. She bit her lip with worry. He saw her wearing the same sapphire choker and matching earrings that she'd worn since he'd first seen her. She looked tired, as if she'd been up for days. "That's nice jewelry." He said, trying to change the subject. She looked down at it and nodded.  
  
"Lady F alvays told me to 'ave one zing, and 'old on to it forever. Because anyzing can be taken from you at anytime."  
  
"I like that philosophy." Solo approved.   
  
"It vas ze same vith Mrs. Maxvell." Harmony said. "She still 'as ze silver cross, does she not?"  
  
"Yeah, she does." Solo nodded. That explained it. He clutched his gold cross tightly in his hand. His engraved name was undoubtedly printed in his palm. He wanted to protect this image of her, and he couldn't explain why. This wild, cold, and dangerous girl was sad…and it hurt him. Harmony Earthe, Daye Maxwell-- the signs were the same, and so were the risks. Harmony could lose her mind.   
  
Solo didn't want that to happen.  
  
"Solo, do you 'ave somezing you vish to protect?" She asked, breaking his thoughts. She laid her hand on his. He held up his cross, and he gently squeezed her hand.   
  
"This." He said unconvincingly. *I want to protect you, Harmony. And only you…*  
  
He didn't understand what he was feeling. And Harmony looked worse than ever. Her shoulders trembled. She leaned against the wall and watched him with sad eyes.  
  
"I don't know vat's vrong vith me." She said, her voice shaking. "I'm going to go."  
  
She took a few steps toward the door.  
  
"Harmony…" Solo tried, but his voice failed. She turned to him slowly. She gave him another wretched look. Her sadness was bringing him down. "Don't go back."   
  
She tilted her head.  
  
"Vat?" She asked in confusion.   
  
"Don't go back to Lady F. Your training…it's dangerous. Don't go back."  
  
"Vere vould I go, Solo? 'Onestly. She is ze only person I 'ave ever trusted."  
  
"Then trust me." He said desperately. She smiled at him.   
  
"You should not trust me." She sighed. "No one should. I do trust you…but it's not a good idea to trust me."  
  
"I already do." He continued. Her expression died and she sat down beside him. She held up her left hand, and on her finger was a ring.   
  
"Zen you must know everyzing." She said solemnly.   
  
"What is that?" He asked. She took it off and examined it.  
  
"Despite my age, I 'ave been married." She said emotionlessly. Solo thought he'd die all over again. He knew very well that he'd been resuscitated. He remembered very clearly what had happened. I'd died…  
  
"You've been…married?"  
  
"'Is name vas Lyle Bordeaux. 'E…'e died. I vas already deep into my training vith F, and zen I returned to France for a mission, and I remembered 'im from my childhood. I stopped being an assassin…for a little while. Zen 'e died…and I returned to Lady F."  
  
"Harmony…did you ever think that F had Lyle killed so you'd return to her?"  
  
Harmony looked at him with total shock in her eyes. "Solo…vat are you saying?"  
  
"Exactly what I said." He said gently.   
  
"You zink F killed my 'usband?" She asked, frozen. She shook her head. "Are you…angry at me?"  
  
"Why would I be mad? I've only known you a few days. Harmony, if I didn't get angry over the fact that you killed me, do you think I'd be mad about this?"  
  
"Ven you put it zat vay…" She said lightly. She paused. "Killed you?"  
  
"Oops…" He hadn't intended to tell her that. "About that…well… er…yeah…I was…um…resuscitated. I was legally dead for two minutes."  
  
Harmony looked dead on her feet. "I'm not angry!" He said urgently. He smiled broadly. "But you're not hiding anything else from me…are ya? You're not a mother of six or anything like that? My limit is three."  
  
She burst out laughing and instantly covered her mouth.   
  
"It's okay." He smiled. "You're allowed to laugh in life."  
  
She smiled at him again.   
  
"I am going to tell your family zat you've voken up." She said, standing up. "Zey are probably at zeir 'omes, but I vill tell zem anyvay."  
  
"Thanks…" He murmured as he hit the pillow with exhaustion.   
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Luna?" She heard Zeke say. "Are you awake?"  
  
"Hm?" She mumbled, opening her eyes. Zeke's face filled the screens of the cockpit. "What is it?"  
  
"Luna!" He breathed. "I thought you'd died." He looked beyond relieved. She sat straight up.   
  
"Excuse me?" She snapped. "What do you mean?"  
  
"When you were attacked." He said slowly. Then he paused. "You slept through it all?" He shouted.  
  
"What 'all'?"   
  
"The carrier you were in was attacked by 02, you know, the Deathscythe. You lost all your escorts except for some Neptune." He explained.   
  
Luna looked amazed. She rubbed her forehead. "I must have been knocked unconscious." She said suddenly, wincing. "My head is killing me. Must have hit it."   
  
"Thank God!" Zeke said, shaking his head.   
  
"What happened to the Deathscythe? No way just a few Neptune and Mercury beat it."  
  
"They did." Zeke shrugged. "Well, it was already in bad shape-- looked really old, and maybe the pilot wasn't that experienced. When we stopped attacking, it drifted toward the colony. The pilot is probably dead."  
  
"Z-e-k-e…" She said slowly, shaking her head at him. "Are you a fool? Of course he's not dead. You know that. Our grandparents fought the Gundams before. The Gundam pilots just don't die. They just don't."  
  
"Luna, what--?"  
  
"And anyway, the Gundams aren't our enemies. L2 is. I wouldn't have fought a Gundam pilot anyway, no matter what. My grandmother was ready to give up her life for them before. I'm not ready for that, but I won't fight them."  
  
"Luna," He said sadly, "they're protecting L2. I saw it in the way the Deathscythe moved. He never fired in the direction of the colony." Then he paused. "That makes them your enemies."  
  
"No!"  
  
"Luna! Please, listen to me…we can make a sweep of L2, and get rid of the Gundams…they'd make no trouble for us that way--"  
  
"Zeke Merquise." Luna cut in, her voice icy. "I am your superior officer. You will not make an attack on the Gundam pilots without my permission. And from now on, Officer Merquise, you will call me Lady Luna Une."  
  
"Luna,"   
  
"Lady Luna Une!" She corrected harshly. "Did you hear me, Officer Merquise? Unless you change your view, my friend, you can say goodbye to your position. And to the Epyon. I'll let someone else pilot it. Are we clear?"  
  
@-------  
  
AnimeCat: Yay! Can't wait till next chapter, can ya?? *loud snap is heard in the distance, followed by an OMAAAAAAAAAAEEEEEEE WOOOOOOOO KOOOOORRRROOOOOSUUUUUU!!!!*  
  
Could it be??? *AnimeCat gets gigantic stars for eyes. so does chibi relena*  
  
*zooms away, leaving large smoke cloud in her wake*  
  
Review!! Remember to tell me who your fave character is! ^_^  
  
Next chapter: Cedric pays a visit to his little crush, Sarra Shail, who mourns for her father. Kiane finally is introduced to her father, Kien Yuy. But...what expectations does he have for his daughter...the heir to not only the Sanq Kingdom, but to the Wing Zero?  



	6. Default Chapter Title

AnimeCat: This chapter is kind of short compared with the others, but still kewl. ^_^  
  
One thing: I suck at reunion scenes.  
  
Read and Review! ^_^  
  
@-------  
  
No one wanted to meet his eyes. Like he had some disease, or something. Like it was /he/ who had been stabbed. He growled angrily under his breath. Cedric had walked to school alone, Marin injured, Quatrine going to a different school, and Solo, of course, in the hospital. He had to brave the day alone. He sort of wished that the stray boy, Jake, Duo's employee, and his other employee, Kian, could go to school with him. That way he wouldn't be alone. Cedric didn't like it. He was a people person, and loneliness was like an obstacle he couldn't face.  
  
Only one thing was etched into his mind at the moment-- find Sarra. Tell her what was going on, and keep her safe. He found her, sitting alone under a tree, her face streaked with tears. It was her first day in school after her father had been killed by an unknown assailant. She was still emotional. He walked up to her slowly.   
  
"Sarra?" He asked cautiously. She looked up at him and said nothing. "I want to say sorry…you know…about your father…"  
  
She didn't respond for a moment. "Thank you." She said quietly. Then she stood up.  
  
"Sarra?" He called again as she walked away. She turned to him.   
  
"Yes?" She asked patiently.   
  
"I need to talk to you." He said. Sarra seemed to give it some thought. She looked at her watch.  
  
"I have a little time." She shrugged. She followed him to a quiet spot on the grounds.  
  
"This is gonna hurt you." He warned her. She looked confused.  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"I only said that for you, not your father. Personally, I think what happened was for the best." He said softly. She looked appalled.   
  
/"What?"/ She hissed.  
  
"Maybe you don't know what he was." Cedric said coldly, slipping his hands into his pockets. "Jeremy Shail was a traitor to this colony."  
  
She slapped him as hard as she could. Cedric's head reeled, but he maintained his ground and didn't flinch. He took a hand out of a pocket and rubbed his cheek before putting it back.   
  
"You liar." She growled.   
  
"Sarra, what I'm about to tell you can never be told to anyone else. If you do, I'm sorry to say that you'll meet the same fate as your father."  
  
Sarra went as pale as his hair. "I'm a Gundam pilot." He said stiffly. Then paused, as if for the effect to sink in. "I pilot the HeavyArms Kai Customs. My cousins, Marin, Solo, and my sister, Quatrine, are also Gundam pilots. Our parents were, as were our grandparents. Solo was stabbed by Harmony Earthe. Harmony Earthe also killed your father."  
  
"Harmony?" She choked. Her eyes widened. "The new girl…she killed my father?"  
  
"Your father was a traitor to this colony. He betrayed us to L3." Cedric continued.  
  
"But…no…how can you say that?"   
  
"Because its true."   
  
"Cedric…"  
  
"Sarra, a battle is going to begin very shortly. It will end that battle outside our windows. The Gundams are getting repaired, then when everything is set, we're going out to beat L3. Stay with my family if you want to be safe. The moment this colony finds out what I know, they're coming after you."  
  
She froze, and her jaw dropped slowly. "Harmony is doing the same. Solo has taken her under his wing or something stupid like that. No one can touch her without his permission. I'm going home. You can come with me, if you want."  
  
He turned around to go, and Sarra understood why he didn't have a backpack or anything. As Cedric walked, he heard an echo of footsteps, and she slipped her hand into his. Without words, they walked to Lela's house.  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
"Well, I guess it's about time I introduced you to your father." Aseka said, so happy she had tears in her eyes. Kiane hadn't eaten all day, and she felt she was going to be sick. She was so anxious, she was happy she hadn't eaten. Aseka opened the door to her house, so slowly, it seemed to Kiane.   
  
"Why did you wait so long for this?" Kiane asked suddenly. Aseka turned to her.  
  
"I was going to introduce you on the day we met, but with what happened to Solo, I didn't think it was a good idea." Aseka said softly. Kiane thought about it, and nodded.   
  
"I guess so."  
  
Aseka smiled at the sky. "I burst into tears when I heard he'd woken up. It was so stupid, visiting hours were over, and I had to wait twelve hours to see him."  
  
"How is he?" Kiane asked, genuinely concerned.   
  
"He'll be out in a few days. Harmony is worse than I am. Breaking in at odd hours to see him…she's there longer than anyone!" Aseka said, shaking her head in amazement. Kiane looked toward the door and Aseka continued to open the door.   
  
"Kien? Are you home?" She called lightly.   
  
"Yeah…" Was the tired response.  
  
Aseka looked at Kiane and gave her a small smile, and Kiane felt slightly at ease. Kiane went in first, and Aseka locked the door. The house was pretty. Beautiful, if she could say so. If this dream was real, she'd live there someday. Lots of pictures everywhere. Of her family, and lots of Aseka and Kien when they were her age. And other people she assumed to be her other grandparents. She recognized them instantly from her visions.   
  
"Kien, come out here." Aseka called. Kiane heard a door shut, and a figure stagger into the living room. He was tired and sick-looking, with bag under his eyes and messy hair. Besides that, Kiane saw the resemblance between her and her father. She shared his eyes. He was handsome, with dark blond hair, straight, with bangs that stuck in all directions, and kind silver cobalt eyes. Kiane's hair was as chestnut as Aseka's. Kien seemed to liven up at the sight of Aseka.   
  
"Oh, hi." He said lovingly. It seemed that the worst thing that could ever happen to him would vanish from his mind at the sight of his pretty wife.   
  
"Oh, Kien," Aseka said softly, in an assuring voice, "the doctor-- the doctor says he'll be home in a few days…he's coming home, Kien, don't worry…"  
  
Aseka raced over and kissed her husband, and they hugged tightly. They broke off after a moment, and Aseka gestured to Kiane. Kien seemed to phase out.  
  
"Who…" He breathed. "She looks…just like…"  
  
"Kiane." Aseka sobbed. "Because she is."  
  
Kien took a step forward, daring to believe that his daughter had returned.   
  
"Um…" Kiane said quietly, giving a smile, though her knees her shaking from nervousness. "Hi…Mom says I'm Kiane…and I think so…because I'm psychic…and I've seen you before…"  
  
"Kiane?" Kien whispered. He reached out slowly and touched her cheek. Kiane took a deep breath, and was too choked up to say anything else.  
  
Kien smiled and a tear trickled down his face. "It's your eyes. I know it's you." He cried. Kiane's head filled with images. Hers were different from all the others. Daye's had been like a headache, coming and going, Aseka's had sometimes been forced, by her pounding her head on a table or wall, but Kiane's were horrible. Painful even, and sometimes she fainted. She didn't this time, but she blanked.  
  
*…"Did Mommy tell you the poem she named DeathsWings after?" Her father said. "You'll be a teeny weenie Angel of Death. Maybe Solo will be a little bitty God of Death." …She went running to her mother's lap…  
  
"Mommy, tell me about the Gundams…" …And the story came alive in the first person. "Who was the God of Death?"  
  
"Your grandfather…your grandmother was the Angel of Death…I'm the Demoness…" *  
  
Kiane was alert a second later. She shook her head to clear it, and hoping the pounding would go away. Kien looked at her sympathetically, and Aseka was offering her some water. She drank it, and put the glass down. Kiane stared at the floor, not knowing what to do or say.   
  
"Don't tell anyone. We can't have this sort of reaction from everybody." Aseka warned. Kien nodded.  
  
"Yeah." He agreed. Kiane looked up at him as he suddenly brightened up.   
  
"What?" Aseka asked.   
  
"Finally. The Wing Zero will have a pilot. I just hope she can handle the ZERO system."  
  
@-------  
  
AnimeCat: *is seen hugging a chibi neko Heero. he looks a little disgruntled at being handled like a doll, but doesn't seem to be at that zero-system angry yet* And I'll feed you...and I'll hug you.....*AnimeCat happily mumbles*....and I'll love you...  
  
chibi neko Heero: I think I could do without. Let me go.  
  
AnimeCat: *puts him down immediately. turns to readers* Does Kien ACTUALLY expect Kiane to pilot a Gundam?? Especially one like the Wing???  
  
Next chapter: Solo asks Duo "What attracted you to Grandma?"...what will Duo say? Kien tries to explain the ZERO system...will Kiane agree to use it?? And finally....the mastermind behind the whole war, Luna's boss, Zeke's boss, is heard from. ...Who is it? And who are L3's real enemies, if not L2?  
  
Review!!! 


	7. Default Chapter Title

Birth of a New Demon, chapter 7

@-------

Solo woke up without the usual pain in his side, so he took it as a sign that he was getting better. The only person in there with him was his grandfather, who was staring out his window. 

"Hey, Grandpa, what's up?" He wheezed. Duo turned to him and smiled.

"Hey, Solo." Duo said happily. "Daye went to the cafeteria for some lunch. She'll be back in a bit."

"Good. I want to talk to you, anyway." Solo shrugged. Duo sat down on a chair and looked attentive. 

"Shoot." He said. 

Solo got comfortable and looked Duo straight in the eyes. 

"What attracted you to Grandma?" He asked seriously. Duo looked stupefied for a moment. 

"Huh? What kind of question is that?"

"A simple one." Solo said. Duo shrugged.

"All right." He said. "Why?"

"Because I'm confused about what I'm feeling for Harmony, and I hardly know her. Not to mention the fact that she stabbed me and punctured my aorta."

"I see where this is going. Okay, I'll tell ya." And he leaned back. "I met her on this colony years ago, and she figured out I was a Gundam pilot. We arranged a meeting to discuss it, and I found out she was an assassin. Then-- she went insane." Duo grinned, but then when he resumed the grin faded. "I guess I wanted to protect her, but not really. I thought she was psycho. I started to like her because she understood me, beyond anyone else did. I don't know why she liked me, because she never wanted anyone to understand her. She hardly understood her own emotions. I tried to help her with that."

"If that was it…why didn't you guys go on a few dates then end it? That doesn't sound like the foundation for an almost forty year marriage."

"That's not it. She disappeared for two years, and I held on to the only picture I had of her and her silver cross like I was obsessed. People with just crushes don't do that. Like your father," He almost sneered, "he followed your mother like a sick dog after they met like once. When we met again, we started dating. We were…eighteen? No, seventeen. Then she disappeared again just when we were getting close, this time for three years. And when we were twenty, we moved in together. Three years later, your mother and uncle were born. We got married six months later, because after Quatre had Lela, marriage was something I was convinced was the right thing to do."

"The question was-- what attracted you to her?" Solo tried to remain patient.

"She was cool!" Duo smiled. "Naw-- I'm kidding." He paused. The second was agony for Solo. "She needed me." He said, no longer smiling. "And I needed her. I protected her from her insanity by giving her a good, normal life, and she gave up three years of that _willingly_ so I wouldn't have to fight in a war that I would risk my life in."

"Oh." Solo breathed. That explained what he was feeling. Everything had a place. And apparently, history repeats itself. An assassin and a Gundam pilot…

~~~~~~~~

"What's the ZERO system?" Kiane asked. Aseka shot a cruel look to Kien, who turned red over the brim of his coffee cup.

"Yes, Kien, what is the ZERO system?" Aseka asked roughly, pointing her fork at him. Kiane nibbled her toast absently, watching them. She'd spent the entire night with them, asking questions about her family, and now, at breakfast, she wanted to know what the ZERO system was.

Kien took a deep breath. "ZERO system-- a cockpit system that immediately calculates battle data, pushing the pilot to his limits…almost to the point where he doesn't even fear his own death, helping him to gain absolute victory." Again as if he'd practiced.

"And you expect me to use it?" Kiane asked curiously. 

"You'll have to. There's no time for training. And anyway…the instructions for rebuilding the Wing Zero that I made years ago include the ZERO system."

"Who else uses it?" 

Kien didn't meet her gaze. "Er…no one. The Epyon has a version of the ZERO system…but no one's seen the Epyon in years. It was my uncle's."

"And the Wing Zero?"

"My father's. He piloted it better than anyone could." He paused, glancing at Aseka. "But I bet if your mother had piloted it, she could have done just as good."

Aseka smiled proudly. Kien cheered in his head. He'd made up for bringing up the ZERO system. Kien looked back to Kiane. "I'm claustrophobic…so the cockpit was never my place."

"Or she could use DeathsWings." Aseka prompted. "Solo would like the Wing Zero."

Kien shook his head. "Even DeathsWings is too complicated. It's as strong as the Wing Zero, remember?"

"But she'll be piloting the Wing Zero _Customs_. It's stronger than DeathsWings!"

"We've practically got to rebuild them all, anyway! You saw what happened to the Deathscythe!"

"Kien--"

"It's okay!" Kiane said loudly. She didn't want them to fight, not at all. "I'll handle the ZERO system." Then she paused. "Even if it kills me."

She wondered if Aseka and Kien would freak about a statement like that. But Aseka gave her a wry smile and said,

"Isn't that just how Gundam pilots _should _think?" 

Kien was shining with pride. "With a little training…she's be a regular little Demoness." He said, a very strange smile stuck on his face. "Dad would've like to hear that. Shame I can't tell him who said it." 

Kiane felt her heart lift up. Then Aseka looked right at her.

"Jay told me that your friend, Jake, is at his house."

"Jake?" Kiane asked. "I have to see him!" 

~~~~~~

"A Gundam attacked." She repeated. Luna nodded. No other sounds.

"Ma'am?" Luna asked. The woman opened her eyes. 

"Nothing. Just lost in memory." The woman sighed. "It doesn't matter. I'm sorry to say this…but don't worry about the Gundams."

"But…my grandmother…I can't just…"

"You'll have to, Lady Luna." The woman almost rose her voice. Luna went silent. 

"How goes F?"

"Her little assassin got rid of our only obstacle in using the new mobile suits. Told the girl he was a traitor. She is very obedient. Lady F says that her poor training will backfire on her soon enough."

"Why is that good?" Luna questioned. 

"The girl, like Shail's little girl, is extremely important to the world and colonies. Once she's out of our hair, we can draw the earth sphere back into the battle."

"Yes?"

"She doesn't know it, naturally, but still…there's always that chance that she'll find out. The Shail girl was going to be executed along with her father…but she disappeared somewhere. Harmony is gone, too. I'm beginning to worry."

"Probably both killed by the Gundam pilots. They both are a risk to them, too."

"But more to us." The woman paused. "On another note, I heard that Relena Peacecraft is finally handing down the crown to her successor. There's a rumor that it might not go to her son…like we thought... He might decline it. The same with the institution. It might not go to Winner's daughter. That's why I'm wondering if someone else knows about Earthe and Shail."

"But who would it go to?" Luna asked, a little nervous.

"I don't know. Peacecraft's grandson is the right age…but he doesn't have leadership capabilities."

"Yes…but then,"

"Your friend Zeke would also be an ideal leader, I suppose. This way…we could very easily drag the earth sphere back into the battle. He _does_ have the Peacecraft blood."

"But he's a Merquise, I don't think he'd be accepted." Luna said, shaking her head. 

"No. He's a Peacecraft by blood. Merquise is only the name his grandfather used in battle. Zeke can convert his name."

"I suppose."

"But our main threats still remain. Harmony Earthe, Sarra Shail…and Kiane Yuy."

@-------

Next chapter: Kiane's visions show a future like none she had even imagined…

Harmony and Sarra's past and futures are also laid out, why are the three girls L3's true enemy? Does it have anything to do with three very important nations…such as Rouen, Ceres, and Sanq? 

The plans become clear: Kiane Yuy _must_ pilot a Gundam! The birth of a new Demon is coming!


	8. Default Chapter Title

Birth of a New Demon

*AnimeCat is totally surrounded by chibis. not even regular GW ones…just… chibis. lots of weird looking ones because lately AC has been breeding them with her friends and now she has w-a-a-a-a-a-y too many. the weirdest one yet has to be the tenshi AnimeCat called Calypso who never shuts up…God only knows how this happened...*

Tenshi Calypso: K, AC…the psych ward expects you in at 4…. 

AnimeCat: CALYPSO!!!!! 

Tenshi Calypso: What?

AnimeCat: *turns to readers and smiles nervously* Um…..I have no idea what she's talking about…..heh heh heh…

Tenshi Calypso: That's why they keep inviting you back, duuuu~uh…

AnimeCat: CALYPSO!!!

@-------

"What poem did you name DeathsWings after?" Kiane asked as she and Aseka walked to the base. No one noticed them. Aseka looked at her curiously for just a moment, but she didn't ask Kiane to repeat the question.

"Mom and Dad started building DeathsWings when I was thirteen. When she was done, I was allowed to name her." She said.

"'Her'?" Kiane asked, cocking an eyebrow. 

Aseka smiled as the door opened. "You'll find, Kiane, that the Gundams are much more than they seem. All of us have ending up talking to our suits and referring to them as 'He' and 'She' rather than 'It'."

"Why…?" Kiane asked.

"It just seems that Gundams have a mind of their own. And the Zero, in most cases, seems to be the one with the greatest intelligence of all."

"But about the poem--"

"Oh, yeah." Aseka remembered. "So, I had to name her. I wanted originally name her Death Star or Space Scythe. But they all sounded pathetic. So I heard this poem once…and there it was. Her name had been chosen."

"What is it?"

"'On great white wings they fly, these demons of the night…' Oh, I don't remember the whole thing…but the ending line was, 'The wings they fly with are deaths wings'. And so my suit had a name."

"Wow." 

"Thank you." Aseka smiled. Aseka could hear talking. No big surprise, really, but she had Kiane with her. And not many people knew who she was. And what she'd been hearing rang true. Jay, Marin, and the boy, Jake, came into view. Jay looked very angry. He heard Aseka coming and turned around. His face lit up at the sight of her momentarily, until he saw Kiane.

"What's she doing here? Are you mad, Aseka?" Jay growled. Kiane became alarmed. Out of his back pocket he pulled out a gun. Kiane was cautious, but something inside her told her not to worry. Her mother would protect her. 

"Well, what about the boy?" Aseka snarled right back.

"He saved Marin. He's been helping me out. I trust him." Jay replied.

"I trust Kian!" Aseka said loudly. Jake and Marin shot each other very frightened looks. Jay didn't put the gun down. "Jay," Aseka continued icily, "put the _damn _gun _down!"_

He lowered it slowly. "You've only known her about a week or so." Jay said.

"I've known this girl all my life." Aseka argued defiantly. "She's my daughter, Kiane."

Kiane looked up at Aseka with awe. She hadn't expected that. But maybe…yes, she had expected it. Aseka had known no other way to prove Kiane trustworthy. Jay dropped the gun. Marin's jaw dropped, and Jake merely backed away into a dark corner.

"Aseka…are you sure?" Jay gasped. 

"Yes. It's her." Aseka said boldly. Kiane smiled feebly. Jay's face broke into a wide smile. He let out some sort of loud happy shout.

"That's wonderful! God, Kiane-- no one expected to really see you again!" 

"Jay!" Aseka silenced that comment. Jay looked a little abashed, but continued happily.

"Wow! I can't wait till everyone finds out! Man-- we'll have a party or something…you _know_ you gotta take her to the Sanq Kingdom to see Miss Relena and Heero…the old man'll kill ya if you don't. I mean really, she _is_ the heiress to the Sanq Kingdom…"

Marin looked ecstatic. "It's you, Kiane? I was too young to remember you…but wow! I'd wanted to see you really bad!"

Kiane smiled at her enthusiasm. Aseka shook her head.

"We can't introduce her to everyone yet." She said stiffly. Jay seemed to pale. 

"What?"

"We can't have this sort of reaction from everyone. Kien agrees with me."

"Aseka!" Jay almost screamed. "This isn't one of your little battle tactics we're talking about…all secret and crap like that… Aseka, this is your _daughter_ we're talking about! They have to know! They're related to her, too, you know!"

"Jay…" Aseka growled. Jay returned it.

"I don't care what the hell you say." He snarled. "I'm telling Lela and Anthony, Miss Relena and Heero, whoever the _hell_ I feel like. She's my niece."

Aseka went pale. Kiane didn't say anything. "All right, then." Aseka gave in. "During Solo's welcome home party tomorrow."

Kiane felt suddenly uplifted. She's be meeting her other grandparents on the same day they'd be finding out about her…wow. What a day that'd be! 

"Does Solo know about her?" Jay persisted.

"Not yet."

"That's the first person you need to introduce her to. Her brother."

"We've met." Kiane said softly. "He didn't know who I was…but I have seen him, and he even compared me to my grandmother."

"Oh." Jay said.

"Okay, Little D, I'll take her today during visiting hours." Aseka agreed. Jay smiled again.

"You're rebuilding the Wing Zero, aren't ya? That's why you're here. There's no time for training…so you're relying on ZERO."

Aseka smiled. "You read my mind, bro. We're hoping she can master the system."

"That's a pretty big assumption to make, Big D. Kien couldn't handle it…neither could Dad…he said so himself."

"But she's not _just_ Duo's granddaughter, she's Heero's granddaughter at the same time. I even see a bit of Miss Relena in her."

"Ooo…watch out, sis, she might become a mini Relena Peacecraft. Always preaching pacifism crap."

Kiane keeled over, her head pounding with images. She cried out in pain. 

_"And I leave it to you, now, to see if I am fit to led the Sanq Kingdom…" Clapping…what are these people applauding her for? Ah…the scene is changing…the same people…different clothes…they assemble themselves before her_. _"…There was an attempt on my life… Why? Pacifism must no longer be something merely discussed by Aristocrats! It must be breathed, tasted, and felt by our people!" _

"Ah!" Kiane screamed. Aseka held on to her tightly for support. Kiane rested her head against Aseka's shoulder and took a deep breath.

"I wish I could take them away from you, Kiane…" She whispered. "Mine hurt, too, well…that was because I sometimes banged my head against things to get them." 

Kiane smiled. The throbbing went away slowly. 

"What did you see?" Jay asked eagerly. Aseka shot him a dirty look, but Kiane nodded.

"It's okay, Mom, I'll spill." She said and stood up without support. 

"Go on." Jay urged. 

"I saw a gathering…there were many people there…all dressed up…and I saw myself…I was talking so strange! Something about living by true peace or something…" She trailed off.

Jay grunted.

"Great. A premonition about her and a pacifism cause. I guess I shouldn't have opened my mouth, huh?"

Visiting hour was almost up, and no visitors except for Harmony, but she'd left a few minutes ago. Cedric had been with her briefly, talking about "stashing" Harmony and Sarra safely in the old base until the big battle was over. Solo had merely shrugged. Harmony was his concern, not Sarra. But now Cedric was taking some lost little girl under his wing. Solo didn't get it. Then again, he didn't understand his situation with Harmony, either, so he didn't have a place to say anything. Sarra didn't even seem to like Cedric all that much, but Solo did get the feeling she was willing to let him help her out. 

The door opened and a nurse came in.

"Mr. Yuy," She said formally. He couldn't get her to call him anything but. "Your mother is here to see you with a young girl."

Solo nodded, wondering whom she meant. Harmony wouldn't have come with his mother, Marin had school, and Quatrine was with Lela in some pacifist seminar. 

His mother came in, smiling and bright, and he waved. Behind her, was a young girl his age. He recognized her instantly from a few weeks before.

"Hey, Mom." He said, surprised. "I've seen you before." He said to the girl.

"Solo…um…I have something very important to tell you." Aseka said seriously. Solo tried not to laugh at her expression. The girl was blushing madly. 

"Shoot." He said easily. 

The girl stepped forward and put out her hand. He shook it, still slightly surprised. "You're feeling better?" She asked. He nodded.

"Yeah. Thanks." He said, smiling.

"Remember when we first met a few weeks ago? You said I looked like your grandmother."

"Uh…yeah, sure." Solo said. The girl looked very nervous, but put her head up with pride and said boldly,

"That's because I'm related to her. Daye Maxwell, Duo Maxwell, Heero Yuy, and Relena Peacecraft are all my grandparents. As Aseka D. Maxwell-Yuy and Kien Yuy are my parents. My name is Kiane Yuy."

Solo looked unaffected for barely a moment. A strange…awed look came over his face and he laid back on his pillow.

"You're Kiane?" He breathed. He smiled and shut his eyes. "I knew you'd come back…" She heard him whisper. He opened his eyes again. "Come back when I'm not so tired. We gotta talk, sis, we really do."

Lela wouldn't stop hugging her. Heero kept staring at her with a wide-eyed stare his wife couldn't smack out of him. Daye and Duo kept looking at her proudly. Anthony kept shaking his head in amazement. Marin and Cedric had joined in song, while Solo, from his spot on the couch, threw peanuts at them from a dish, laughing the whole time. Quatrine smiled and kissed her cheeks repeatedly. Jay and his wife, Katrina, talked to her constantly about her years away from the family. Kiane had never had so much fun.

Jake was looking sullen. She tried talking to him, but was always dragged away by a family member. She met Lela's father, Anthony's parents, and finally, Harmony, the girl who'd stabbed her brother. She came in unexpected, and the room had froze at the sight of her. But Solo welcomed her in without question, and eventually, the room warmed up to her. Kiane was reluctant to make friends with Harmony, but after talking for just a few minutes with her, she discovered that Harmony wasn't half-bad. Solo had good taste, she noted. She met Sarra, and really liked the girl, despite her cool attitude towards everyone. _She must be as alien to this as I,_ Kiane thought.

She glanced over at Daye and Duo a lot, as Relena tried to explain her pacifism to Kiane. Kiane wasn't really paying attention, but it did sound good enough. Duo and Daye weren't very tall, only an inch or two above herself, and their children were hardly taller. But there was something else about them that made them ten feet tall. Daye could not be called fragile, not even at her age. There was a fierceness in her eyes and a power behind her voice. 

Kiane saw it in all of her family. They all seemed ageless, no matter what they looked like. Her other grandmother, Relena, could be called fragile, but even then, she had a passion that kept a light burning within her. She looked to Duo and Heero, who were having a conversation in which Heero couldn't help but smile.

"Admit it, Heero!" Duo laughed. "You had no idea we'd ever live this long! Admit it!"

"Yeah, Duo," Heero sighed, running a hand through his moss green hair only slightly streaked with gray, "I never even dreamed we'd live this long." He looked over to Aseka. "About your daughter--" He said thoughtfully. "Damn, Duo…I don't know how you did it but she was trained _good!"_

Duo smiled proudly. "Yeah, I know. We went a little overboard, but it was for the best."

Heero met Kiane's gaze. She knew what he was thinking. _She'll be piloting the Wing Zero…_my_ Gundam…it's hers now…I hope she can handle the ZERO system…_

She smiled at him. He grinned back and turned back to Duo. Kiane looked back to Relena. 

"Your father doesn't want the nation…" She was saying. "And Lela wants to remain out here with her family. I don't know what I'm going to do with the institution…but the nation's yours if you think you can handle it…I was fifteen, as well."

"I don't know…" Kiane sighed. Relena nodded. 

"It's fine." Relena smiled. "I'm holding on for a bit longer anyway. There's time to decide."

"Grandmother…" Kiane broke in suddenly, looking at Jake. 

"Yes?" Relena asked politely. 

"I need to talk to Jake. I'll be back in a second." She answered, standing up. Relena nodded and began talking about peace to Sarra, who only looked mildly interested. 

"Jake," Kiane started. He smiled a little.

"Kian, it's nice to talk to you, you know, we've both been so busy lately…"

"Jake, please…"

"Kian-- wait, I should be calling you Kiane now, shouldn't I? It is your name."

"Where've you been?" Kiane asked. 

"Jay let me stay with him and his family. He's really nice. Marin is great. So is her mother. You've been staying with Aseka, right? This will be your house-- wow. I like it."

Kiane looked over at Marin, who was using a laptop. Her mother was scolding her about bringing it to the party, but Marin looked horrified. She stood up and whistled loudly. Everyone looked to her. 

"Everybody…the Tallgeese! It's here! Just a mile from the colony! It's fighting some Gemini as we speak!"

A shudder went through Kiane as the room went deathly silent.

"The Tallgeese was destroyed." Four voices stated coldly. Jay looked suddenly very ashamed. Heero, Duo, Trowa, and Quatre all looked _very_ upset. 

"Jay," Daye started icily, seeing the expression on her husband's face. "What are you keeping from us?"

"It's impossible!" Harmony shrieked. "Eef ze Tallgeese 'as already been built, Jeremy Shail died for no reason!"

Sarra looked as if she could die. She'd totally avoided Harmony, and it was only Cedric who kept her from jumping Harmony. 

"I thought Marin had made a mistake…that's why I didn't tell! Oh God," He looked freaked. "We have to capture it! We have to find out who the pilot is!"

"And how will we do this?" Heero asked coldly. "The Gundams are in horrible shape."

"DeathsWings isn't that bad off." Aseka muttered quietly. "But it's Solo's, and he can't…"

She looked around the room. "There's no time for someone to just attempt to pilot her."

"Is DeathsWings any match for the Tallgeese?" Kiane asked.

"Yes, if the pilot is experienced." Aseka said, deep in thought. Everyone watched her. "I'll have to do it." She said coldly. 

"Aseka!" Kien sputtered. "Alone? I'd go with you, but the Wing Zero…please don't go alone…"

"Oh, Kien." Aseka said impatiently. She turned to everyone. "I can do this. Leave it to me. I'll be back as soon as I can." And she kissed her family goodbye and ran out the door before anyone else could stop her.

The party had come to a terrifying stop. Kien clutched Solo and Kiane's hands with his face pale and sickly. Kiane squeezed his hand in return to comfort him, watching Jake with a weary eye. Relena was muttering something under her breath, and Heero and Marin, who sat next to her, were continuously rolling their eyes. Kiane caught "True peace" among her words along with "Dropping all armaments".

Someone opened the door after a very silent hour. Aseka trooped in, her face sweaty and red, but smiling. 

"I haven't had that much fun in years!" She laughed. 

"Are you all right?" Kiane leaped up and shouted. 

"Never better!" Aseka smiled. She opened the door a little wider. A young woman followed her inside. She bright red hair going a little past her shoulders, a very slight tan, and mahogany-colored eyes. She looked well dressed, in a sleeveless dress with one strap, and a pale blue color splashed with red crescent moons and stars. 

"Lady Une?" Five voices chorused in astonished voices. The girl looked up, startled. She gave an amused smile. The resemblance was unmistakable. 

"No." She smiled, but her eyes were sad. "Lady Une was my grandmother. My name is Lady Luna Une."

"Aseka…what…?" Duo tried. Aseka shut the door.

"She was piloting the Tallgeese." Aseka stated roughly. Luna looked around the room curiously. 

"Now I know why the Deathscythe protected L2. You all _are_ here." She saw Harmony and Sarra, and let out a gasp. "Harmony! Sarra!" She shouted. 

"'Ow do you know my name?" Harmony hissed. 

"Ditto." Sarra snarled. Luna sighed.

"I had to warn you." Was all she said. 

"What?" Everyone said in unison. 

"My grandmother was prepared to die for you." She said, glancing at the older pilots. "And I didn't know that I would be fighting you. I loved my grandmother very much. I'm not about to make her turn in her grave and kill your families." She glanced casually around at the younger pilots. "It is apparent to me that you've handed your Gundams down to your children and grandchildren. I didn't know that you all lived on L2. So I'm risking my job to warn you."

"About what?" Heero asked.

"We know about your repairing the Gundams to end the war." Luna sighed. "And believe me, L3 has been doing the same."

"Pardon?" Heero continued.

"We have taken over the Tallgeese and Epyon." Luna said. 

"Epyon…?" Heero breathed hoarsely. "Both of them belonged to…"

"Zechs Merquise." Luna said. With a casual look to Relena, she added, "Also known as Milliardo Peacecraft. I have taken over the Tallgeese, and my…friend…, Zeke, has taken the Epyon."

Solo made a sudden choking sound. They all looked at him. 

__

"Zeke?" He shouted. "As in, my cousin, Zeke?"

"What on earth is Zeke doing on L3?" Relena hissed. 

"Where do you think Zechs and his wife resided after disappearing? They didn't know there'd be a war. Zeke is merely being a patriot, fighting for his colony. He loves L3 as you all love L2."

"And you?" Solo snarled. 

"I was born on L6. I moved to L3 when I was nine. I met Zeke through our parents. It was merely a choice to fight for L3. It's too late for me to turn traitor. I just wanted to warn my enemies." 

"How do you know me?" Sarra snapped. Luna looked at her. 

"I don't think I should discuss that with you."

"You'll discuss it," Aseka snarled, gripping Luna's wrist, "or there's a possibility that one of the fourteen assassins in this room may have an impulse to kill you."

Jagged glares met Luna. She looked unconcerned. "All right. I just signed my death warrant, didn't I? No matter what I say in the next minute, either my superiors or this little Gundam group is gonna kill me. How exciting! This must be how Grandmother felt when she was a soldier."

"Vell?" Harmony asked. Luna shut her eyes. She gave a very slight, but very notable bow. 

"Your highness." She said very stiffly. She repeated the process for Sarra. Harmony went pale.

"Vat do you mean?" Harmony screeched. Sarra gaped at her. Luna, her eyes shut tight, began speaking in a low monotone. 

"Harmony Earthe, you are part of the Rouen Kingdom of France. As a child, you were fostered into the Bordeaux estate until you were six." She paused, as Harmony's jaw slowly dropped. "When you visited space during this time…such a fragile age, six…Lady F found you and brainwashed you into believing you were fighting for a cause."

"Vat? I do not understand…" Harmony breathed. "It's impossible! I cannot be zis girl…I am from…er…" She found herself unable to remember.

"You are indeed." Luna said. "Harmony Earthe, princess and heir to the Rouen nation."

"And me?" Sarra snarled. She was filled with insane jealously and she didn't know why. Harmony looked as if she'd been struck by lightning. "You bowed to me, too, you know."

"I do know. You, Harmony, and the lost Kiane Yuy are L3's only true enemies. Not even the Gundams pose as much threat as you three girls."

Kiane hid herself behind her father. 

"What?" Sarra breathed. "Me…?"

"Once…the outer space had a nation. In fact…that's what started the war out here in the first place. It's not very well known and it was very private. A nation run by the snootiest of all aristocrats." Luna said. "Ceres, they called it. It was a secret…working on newer and better mobile suits. Known to you as the Planet Type Mobile Suits. But…they were a project worked only on by L3. L2 was more into pacifism…and all the aristocrats of L2 were shocked when they discovered L3's new military power. They declared war on us."

"But what does it have to do with _me?_" Sarra shouted. Cedric placed his hand on her shoulder. She let it rest there. Luna smiled. 

"Who do you think represented L2? Jeremy Shail himself. Commander in chief of the Ceres Space Nation. Went into hiding so his pretty little hippie-chick daughter could be raised without any fear."

Sarra scowled. Cedric silently noted that Luna was right about the "Hippie-chick" thing. Sarra had on a strange lavender and violet suit that seemed to pop straight from the earth hundreds of years before the colonies had even first been built. 

"Vell," Harmony said shortly, "vat do ve zree 'ave anyzing to do vith you?"

"Didn't I just…"

"But not _vhy_ ve are your enemies." 

"If the lost Kiane Yuy inherited the Sanq Kingdom…L2 would have an instant immense ally. Not good for L3. That country is best if it doesn't have an heir, but we've decided to let Zeke rule as regent there. He has the blood. Rouen Kingdom is a very wealthy nation. If L2 won its favor…another bad token for L3. It too, should have no heir. And you, Sarra Shail, would be able to bring the Ceres nation back from it's ruins here in space if you so desired to."

"And--?"

Luna gave another wicked smile. "But…it has been so arranged that we of L3 have not to worry."

"What?" Sarra shrieked.

"Not any of the nations can be revived without the Sanq Kingdom's little heir…Kiane Yuy. And she isn't here, is she?"

Kiane flared with anger. "Yes." She said coldly. "She is here. I am she."

Luna looked at her straight in the eyes with terror rising all over her face. Aseka stepped away from Luna. 

"Go." She commanded. "I don't care if you tell your boss that we know what we know or not. Goodbye." 

Luna stuttered a small incoherent sound before turning away slowly and stepping out the door. Everyone turned to the three girls. Cedric and Solo had very strange, almost proud, or triumphant, expressions on their faces. All Kiane, Sarra, and Harmony could do was stare at each other and blink with blank looks on their faces.

"Kiane…" Aseka started. "I think…man this is weird…" She whispered under her breath. "That you should…join the pacifist cause and become leader of the Sanq Kingdom." She looked as if she'd forced every word. Jay made a slight choking noise but no one paid any attention. 

"What?" Kiane breathed. "I didn't think I could be both…" She paused for a moment. "If I go to earth and lead the nation…I can't fight. And I've already made my decision about that."

"I know." Aseka sighed. Sarra suddenly looked very proud. She stood up straight and took on a very serious expression. 

"I'm doing it. I'll bring my nation back." She said calmly. She turned to Cedric shyly. "You know, Cedric…you can help me…if you want…"

Cedric smiled broadly. "You can count on me!" He shouted enthusiastically. Harmony nodded as all eyes went to her.

"Von't it be difficult to prove I am ze 'eir?" She asked lowly. Aseka shrugged. Relena stood up and put her hand on Harmony's shoulder. 

"I know exactly what you're going through, dear. I'll help you." She promised. Harmony looked grateful, but very confused and she didn't smile. Relena looked to Kiane. "I have already abdicated. There are only a few months for me to name my heir. After that…the crown goes to your next of kin, Kiane. That is Zeke."

"Mom!" Kien protested loudly. "What about me or Solo? I know I didn't want to…but I will if I have to…"

"Do you honestly think my people would accept you? You who has never even taken an interest in pacifism? Who at least half the nation knows was a Gundam pilot? Only God knows how any of it escaped the palace… They'll never accept you with your history…and Solo, well, what do you think? They'll figure, and correctly, I might add, that he's the newest addition of Gundam pilots to our family!"

"I'll have to do both." Kiane said suddenly, shocking them all. Her voice sounded as if she didn't believe she was saying it. "I mean…I can pilot a little…I won't be that necessary all the time…and maybe, before you name me your heir, I could learn a little about the pacifism and take over the nation when I'm ready."

Quatre, Lela, Quatrine, and Relena looked like Kiane had just promised to give them a million dollars. They smiled so brightly Kiane wondered if she could use sunglasses to block the glare off their pearly teeth. 

Everyone else looked like someone had shot them in the foot. Anthony, Harmony, and Sarra looked as if it didn't really matter to them. Kiane suspected pacifism had been _that_ important to him. He liked it, but never openly supported it. 

"My daughter the pacifist." Kien said falsely. Kiane knew he was proud of her, but just wasn't a big pacifist fan. He smiled. Kiane nodded. Harmony stood in front of her, and took a pose like that of a well-raised princess. 

"Eef Miss Luna vas correct…and I am a princess, I vill pledge an alliance vith ze Sanq Kingdom." She said reassuringly. Sarra shrugged and grinned.

"You can count on the support of the Ceres nation." She said sweetly. 

Kiane nodded. She couldn't believe what was happening to her. Just barely a month ago she was Kian Zachary…little nothing orphan. Now she was Princess Kiane Yuy, representative in chief of the Sanq Kingdom. She already had allies…and she wasn't even ruling yet! What a radical change! But Jake was the same…nothing had changed for him except for suddenly becoming a friend of the "Gundam Family". 

Heero appeared to be thinking very hard. When he finally spoke up again, his words silenced everyone and ended the party.

"Sorry to interrupt the birth of a new demon, but we have a lot of work to do."

@-------

Next chapter: Kiane test pilots the Zero…and uses the system….how does she handle it? Did her parents install it improperly…or can she handle it just was well as Heero…?

Solo and Zeke meet….the challenge arises will Solo battle his cousin?

Review!!


	9. Default Chapter Title

Birth of a New Demon, chapter 9

Review??

@-------

Solo looked up at the white mobile suit that was beginning to take shape.

"S-o-o-o-o…" He started. His father looked at him. 

"Yes, Solo?" Kien asked. 

"What's that you're building? What kind of suit?" Solo asked. Kien looked at him strangely for a moment before remembering that Solo wasn't very informed about Kiane's decisions. Kien handed him the prints for the Wing Zero Customs. Solo studied it for a moment before almost buckling his knees in amazement.

"This is so cool!" He whined. "And it's Kiane's? Man!" He continued whining.

"Sorry, Solo. Don't you think DeathsWings is cool? It's like the Deathscythe and the Wing combined."

"Yeah…" Solo made a face. "But it's still a girl's mobile suit. I like the scythe and the buster rifle…and the beam gatling you installed is just amazing…but God, the Wing Zero rules!"

Kien smiled. "Yeah. I almost wish it hadn't been mine. I wasn't the proper pilot for an amazing suit like that. I was too inexperienced."

"Kiane won't feel like that. She doesn't know the pride we feel about these suits yet."

"That's what makes her the ideal pilot. She won't be piloting this thing to fill our expectations about what the Wing pilot should be made of. She won't pull any stunts. If anything goes down, and she has to do something totally worthy of my father, she'd be doing it because it's what she knows she has to do. And her innocence is what makes her the ideal leader for the Sanq Kingdom. She was raised in a church, which enables her to talk of peace from a religious perspective."

Solo nodded. 

"I guess so." He shrugged. Then he smiled. "She'll be the best leader that country will ever have. Religious leader slash pacifist leader slash Gundam pilot makes for a very interesting reign."

~~~~~~~~

Her head was pounding. Drums, beating on her brain. Bum-bum; bum-bum…till she was ready to explode. Images, too. Coming and going faster than lightning. _ZERO…the system…ah, my head…ZERO…Epyon…ahh…fight, fight, fight, don't give up, never give up… _

A blond boy, out of his mind…he doesn't see anything but the enemy…but everyone has the face of his enemy. Which is the true one? …Another boy, unable to handle it, sees the deaths of those he cares about play in front of his eyes…and another boy…and yet another until the true pilot for the system is found… Her grandfather. HE WOULDN'T BE THE ONLY ONE TO MASTER THE SYSTEM!

_Master the damn system, Kiane! It's in your blood! Do it, do it, DO IT! Don't let it control you, don't let it!_

~~~~~~~

Aseka was in shock. Her breathing came in short gasps and choking sounds. Kien was scared out of his mind, but Aseka wouldn't let anyone near her as she watched Kiane's results while test piloting the Wing Zero.

Then, she simply shut her eyes and turned the monitor off. She looked up at Kien with an emotion beyond anything he could explain written in her eyes. 

"She's doing it." Aseka croaked. "Nothing…nothing is going on. Her brain waves haven't altered, nor her blood pressure, nothing! But everything else is…amazing! She's handling the system as if she's been using it for years."

Kien felt his blood run cold. "It's impossible. No one can do that…well, except for…"

Aseka nodded slowly. 

"Heero Yuy."

~~~~~~~~

Kiane knew exactly what the former pilots of her suit had felt while using the system. It wasn't emotionlessness…it was indifference. Nothing mattered but one thing. 

Find the enemy and eliminate it. 

She could see things playing in her mind, horrible images of her family getting killed as her colony exploded…but at the same time, she knew, she just _knew_ that it wasn't happening. They were safe, safe and watching her and waiting. What was this? This was nothing. See the possibilities, and avoid them if they are bad. 

"Where's my enemy?" She couldn't believe she'd said the words. But there was no enemy. She didn't find it. Fighting on her part would be pointless, but necessary all the same. She had no enemy. But the desire to fight welled up within her, almost as strong as her grandparents' did. 

And pacifism…the spirit of pacifism must have been reborn in her from her grandmother! She could see herself promoting peace just as easily as piloting this pathetic system…but the system was still more fun.

~~~~~~~~

Solo heard the footsteps behind him as he walked to the base after dark. That's where Harmony was staying, and he wanted to visit her and tell her what had been going on. He'd certainly had a mouthful planned. 'Guess what, Harmony? My sister can handle the psychotic ZERO system better than my Perfect Soldier grandfather'. 

Then the shadow appeared, catching up to him fast. Man, he was gonna get mugged, he just knew it. He lowered his hand to his waist, where he had a .30 piece. Then he heard the voice. A low, elegant voice, that of an aristocrat's. That he recognized instantly. 

"Solo. Wait up." The voice said coolly.

Solo stopped dead in his tracks and breathed as the person caught up with him. Solo resumed walking, this time with the person walking at his side.

"How did you find me?" Solo asked slowly, deciding to lead his companion away from the base. 

"I've been following you all day, waiting for you to be alone." The person continued in the same voice.

"Well, you've got me, Zeke." Solo said harshly. Zeke sighed. 

"I'm sorry that you had to come in between my beliefs." Zeke said sincerely. 

"Yeah, ditto." Solo hissed. 

"Why didn't you stay on L3 like my father asked you to?" Zeke retorted with the same tone. "We could be fighting side by side, like we always wanted to."

"When we were kids." Solo said. "And Mom needed me to come home."

"Oh yeah, I forgot." Zeke said in a sympathetic voice. He'd forgotten about Aseka and Kien's emotional breakdowns nine years ago…

"They needed my help to get through the breakdown."

"I know." 

"Zeke, I know that you're just being a patriot for L3…but how can you go against your family? Your blood? Just for a colony?"

"My colony."

Solo laughed weakly. "Yeah. I guess I'd do the same. Would you mind if I asked you a few questions?"

"I guess I owe it to you." Zeke said softly.

"What?"

"Harmony." And then Zeke stopped Solo and simply hugged him. Forgot that they were the greatest enemies, and forgot that they were at war, they only remembered one thing. They were family. And Zeke knew that his best friend, his kin, had died already because of someone that worked for him. "Luna told me about when she showed up on your welcome home party. I wish I could've gone."

"Funny thing about Harmony, Zeke," Solo grinned as they resumed walking.

"What?"

"I think I love her." Solo said softly. Zeke gaped. His jaw went slack. 

"After everything…you love her?" He stammered.

"I think I do." Solo smiled faintly. "And considering how she acts towards me, I think she feels the same."

Zeke returned the smile. "I know the feeling." He shrugged. "In a way. Lady Luna and I have been together for years. A year ago I would've shouted my feelings for her from the top of a water tower, but with her being such a big factor on L3, I can hardly see her in private."

"She said that she didn't want to hurt us." Solo said suddenly. "She warned us."

"That's another thing I need to talk to you about." Zeke sighed after a moment. He paused again. "I never even thought about you guys. If I had her rank…God, Solo, I would have put out an order for a sweep of the colony to kill all the Gundam pilots."

Solo said nothing. Zeke didn't say anything else for another minute. "I heard Kiane came back. That doesn't help L3 at all, but she's my cousin…so say hi to her for me." He said softly. 

"Sure." Solo said. "Luna helped us…so I'll give you something. Kiane piloted the Wing Zero for the first time today."

"How'd she do?"

"Zeke…she handled the ZERO system better than my grandfather. He's still in shock." Solo said hesitantly. 

"How…that's…no way…" Zeke stuttered. "I can hardly manage Epyon."

"She's psychic. That must have something to do with it." Solo shrugged. "Now can I ask my questions?"

"Yeah." Zeke said in a monotone, thinking of the ZERO system.

"Are you really going to become regent in the Sanq Kingdom?"

Zeke smiled warily. "I have about as much interest in pacifism that you so. They'll never accept me."

Solo nodded. He looked at his watch. "The colony scheduled some rain tonight. There's some dry spots sprouting up everywhere. We have to hurry."

Zeke nodded. "Anything else?"

Solo tensed up before he asked. "Yeah." He said. "Are you really gonna try and kill your family?"

"I was hoping we wouldn't have to get into this." Zeke said in an almost irritated and slightly angry tone.

"The greatest battle ever to have been was between our grandfathers using the Epyon and the Wing Zero. Only this time Kiane has the Zero. And she has no quarrel with you. I do. Only I have DeathsWings."

"What quarrel do you have with me?" Zeke sounded slightly interested. A loud splashing sound echoed above them Solo looked up at the pipes a hundred feet from the floor of the colony. 

"The rain." He warned, and with a final booming sound, the rain hit them like bullets. After a moment, the pressure lightened and it didn't hurt to have the water hit them.

"What's the quarrel?" Zeke asked again. Solo met his eyes. 

"Its funny that you don't know. You just said you didn't want to get into it. But we _are_ into it." He hissed. 

"Solo--"

"When the war started last year, I figured you weren't part of the army responsible for attacking out colony. I just thought, you lived on the colony, you support the colony. I had no _Goddamned_ idea that you were practically in charge! We weren't gonna use the Gundams! We just got them ready! "

The rain was roaring in his ears, but Zeke managed to catch all the spite that Solo had in his voice. 

"I'm using the Epyon very soon, Solo. That's all I came here to warn you about." Zeke tried to remain calm.

"And Kiane is using the Wing Zero. She's more dangerous than my grandfather ever could be. And then she's taking over the Sanq Kingdom. L3 can kiss its victory goodbye." Solo snarled. Zeke had had enough.

"I used Epyon to get here. Do you wanna fight this out right now?" He said bitterly. 

"Bring it on." Solo growled.

@-------

Next chapter: Solo battles Zeke…the Epyon against DeathsWings…which will win? 

Harmony tells Solo who the mastermind behind the war is. The old lady from chapter 7 turns out to have a closer connection than anyone could have imagined….

Review!


	10. Default Chapter Title

Birth of a New Demon, 10

AnimeCat: Okay…background info is needed once again…damn…thought I wouldn't need any when I got to this fic. 

Review!!

@-------

DeathsWings would have to do. Solo was counting on Zeke's inexperience as his only advantage. They met a fair distance from the colony. Looks like Harmony would have to wait. Solo turned off his Comm. Link. It would be a silent battle. He had no interest in talking with Zeke.

That's when Zeke attacked. 

Solo began to pray silently as he slashed around with the scythe for a moment. The heat rod of Epyons' lashed out and ripped the scythe from his hand. Solo panicked briefly. But he remembered the buster rifle. He fired wildly, hitting Epyon and sending it reeling backwards.

Solo grinned for a moment. He wasn't doing so bad! He'd have to recover his scythe, but he was doing good at the moment. He looked at the beam gatling. Perfect! The beam shot out, but Epyon refracted it. Ack! Epyon pulled out a beam saber. Solo grimaced. He wasn't so good at the dueling thing. Apparently Zeke was. That really wasn't good.

He pulled his out and blocked Zeke. But that's all he could practically do. Dodge, block, and maybe if it was necessary, he could lunge once or twice. 

And because of this, he lost.

~~~~~~~~

Harmony looked up from the computer. Someone had come in to the control room, and she couldn't see who. She'd hit the lights off, and the only light in the room came from her screen. She looked around nervously. The lights came on, and she saw Solo standing in the doorway looking half asleep and soaking wet. 

"It's raining?" Was all she could manage to say. Then she stood up and walked to him. "Solo? Are you all vight?"

"Harmony…I lost…" He managed.

"Lost in vat, Solo?" She whimpered, leading him to a chair and sitting him down. 

"Zeke came. You know, my cousin." He said. "We dueled outside the colony…and I lost."

"Oh, Solo," She said softly. "You're alive…zat is vat matters."

"He wouldn't have killed me anyway…at least not in this battle." He said bitterly. She took on of his hands and held it tight. 

"Zey all tricked me…" Harmony said softly. "But I vould do it all again to meet you, Solo." 

Solo had a sudden thought.

"Harmony," He said urgently. "Tell me everyone you worked for."

She looked up at him questioningly, but nodded.

"Zere vas Lady F, apparently zis Zeke and Luna, and zere was also zis old voman…I don't zink I vemember 'er name."

"Old woman?" Solo asked. "We haven't heard anything about her. Not from Zeke or Luna."

"It vas very secret. No one ever saw 'er. I never did…but I 'eard 'er name, but only once."

"What was it?"

"Um…" She tried to remember. "'Ilde." 

For the first time, Solo puzzled over what Harmony had said. 

"Ilde?" He asked oddly.

"No. _'Ilde._" Harmony argued. "'Ilde Schbeiker." 

This didn't ring a bell in Solo's mind at all. He shrugged. "I don't remember her either. Must be some random old lady." But he still figured he should look her up. "Can I use that computer?" 

Harmony gave him a strange smile and moved over. Solo cleared whatever Harmony had been looking through, and Harmony didn't seem to care.

He typed in "Schbeiker" first. What came on the screen was not what he suspected. A computer phone book and a digital photo album. It was old. It was from his Duo and Daye's old computer files. He opened it up and went to the "S" section. After a few names, he came to "Hilde Schbeiker". _Ilde Schbeiker…_ He thought. _Impossible. It can't be the same girl. That meant she was one of grandpa or grandma's friends. _

He opened the photo gallery. The titles of the pictures were listed as such: _Best man and matron of honor, Hilde and Quatre! The Quat-man cries while the bride looks on horrified! The groom eats the cake and doesn't leave any for the bride! Hilde and Daye, my best friends. Quatre, the best friend a girl could have. Duo Maxwell, stealer of hearts…and apparently all the food. _

"This is a photo album of my grandparents' wedding…" He said with uncertainty. "But that's impossible. If Hilde Schbeiker is the same girl…that means she was Grandpa and Grandma's best friend."

The first picture was a young Quatre Raberba Winner, and a pretty young lady in a blue dress suit, wide blue eyes and dark blue hair. The second picture, Quatre wiping his eyes while Daye looked at him as if he was insane. The third, his grandfather with a little icing on his lips and nose, looking somewhat ashamed as Quatre and Daye laughed at him. The fourth, Daye and Hilde hugging tightly outside a small courthouse. In the fifth picture, Quatre alone, smiling, but his smile was distant. In the last, his grandfather with his arms around the two girls, smiling, but in each of his hands he had a small pastry. 

Solo looked to Harmony. She shrugged. "I cannot say." She said sadly. Solo turned off the computer and leaned back in his chair. 

"This is just a bad day." He said bitterly, staring at the ceiling. He looked at Harmony from the corner of his eye. She was smiling lightly. For the first time, she didn't look nervous to be happy. She leaned over and kissed him. Solo nearly jumped back over in surprise. Harmony broke away, looking hurt and nervous again. "But it's getting better." Solo amended, smiling. Harmony blushed and kissed him again.

~~~~~~~

Cedric woke up with a start in the car as the passenger door opened. He shrieked loudly, and when Sarra settled herself next to him, she looked at him strangely. 

"What?" She asked.

"Nothing. You scared me." He admitted, grinning. He sat up straight and turned the car on. "How'd it go?"

She smiled slightly, very faintly. "I wish you could have been there. I was scared…all those old guys…they were so serious!"

She leaned her head on his shoulder. "But I made it. L2 is bringing Ceres back from the ruins, and I'm going to be Chief Rep. I don't think I'd been able to without Ms. Peacecraft."

"Sure you would have!" Cedric argued. "You have great leadership qualities!"

"So you say. But that's as class president, Ced. Not leader of an entire colony! Can you believe it? I never even knew about it! And very few people will. Until the war ends…I'm top secret. Then…if I can bring peace to the colonies…" She said "peace" with a voice he'd only heard Ms. Relena use. "I might be like the last leader…Heero Yuy. The real one, not Solo's grandfather." 

"I know what you're talking about. God, that's amazing, Sarra." Cedric breathed. 

"I want this more than anything! I'm sick of this war!" She said bitterly. She looked up to Cedric, who was a little taller than her. "And I want you to help me. Will you, Cedric?"

Cedric smiled. "You know I will."

"But you're a Gundam pilot." She frowned, looking at her knees. 

"I won't be forever. Once it's all over…"

"Can't you just assassinate the chief rep?"

"If we could figure out who it was." Cedric said wistfully. Sarra clutched his arm tightly. "Sarra…?"

"If you're going to go through it…promise me. Promise me you won't die."

"I promise." 

~~~~~~~

_With the final battle coming up…we're all showing how we truly feel…_ Kiane thought, looking through a photo album of her family. She couldn't get enough of them. _I want to see Jake…_

It wasn't fair! She had her family and her whole future, and he could only sit back and watch. She couldn't even imagine what he was feeling. Sitting around while his best friend became some ones daughter, sister, a whole nations' princess…and a whole colony's only hope. And he was still Jake Zachary, orphan. 

She looked up, and sitting on the desk in front of her was her father's phone. She picked up the receiver. She dialed hesitantly and waited almost frozen until her uncle answered.

"Uncle Jay?" She asked.

"Kiane? What's up?" Jay said cheerily. 

"Just wanted to know if I could talk to Jake." She said.

"Sure thing." He agreed. He took the receiver away from his face and hollered, "JAKE! PHONE!"

Kiane held the phone away from her ear in shock. Then suddenly she heard a softer, slightly more nervous sounding voice. 

"Hello?" Jake asked inquisitively. 

"Hi Jake." Kiane said sweetly. "We should talk. We haven't had a chance to lately."

"Yeah," He admitted, not changing his tone, "the last few months have been something of a blur."

"Will you come with me to earth when I take my grandmother's throne? I'd like it a lot if you did." Kiane asked in a pleading sort of voice. There was a pause at the other end. "Jake?"

"Yeah." Jake said as if he'd just woken up. "Oh yeah, um, sure…I'd love to, Kiane." 

Kiane sighed. "Jake…you can call me Kian if you want. If it's easier for you. Everything has gone so fast for me that I think if you called me Kian it would help my sanity."

"Thanks." Jake said gratefully. "Anything in particular you wanted to talk about?"

"I just wanted to know you were coming with me, Jake." Kiane said fondly. 

~~~~~~~

"Lady Luna Une," She said harshly. Luna felt like running away and hiding. "You are being accused of disloyalty. Lady F says she saw the Tallgeese make a beeline for L2, fight briefly with 05, and then follow it submissively into the colony. The Tallgeese didn't return to L3 for a long time."

"Yes." Luna admitted reluctantly. The woman's blue eyes narrowed. 

"Traitor!" She shouted loudly. Luna winced at the harshness of the word. "What did you tell them?" 

"Ma'am…I told you I was uncomfortable fighting the Gundams…you knew…"

"I know! Believe me, I know what you feel. I lived on L2 for many years, Lady Luna. I won't ask again. What did you tell them?"

"Ma'am…I cannot." Luna said coldly.

"Well…" The woman retorted icily. "Because I like you, Lady Luna, I will give you one more chance…or go down in history as a traitor."

Luna looked up hopefully. "Anything!"

The woman's eyes narrowed. She smiled.

"Assassinate Kiane Yuy."

@-------

As I've said a million times, this all ties back to Daye's original fic. She and Hilde were very close when she and Duo were dating. Hilde was Daye's matron of honor, and likewise though it wasn't in Daye's fic. She is Aseka and Jay's godmother, Quatre is their godfather. A few years later, Hilde went back into military work and lost touch with Duo and Daye.

THIS IS NOT A HILDE BASHER!!!

Next chapter: Kiane finds how totally devoted Aseka is to her husband and children.

"_I refuse to see myself without this family.."_

Luna, who challenges her, charges Kiane, playing with the ZERO system outside the colony. Who will win this battle? What does the ZERO do for Kiane, who has already mastered the system? 

Review!! We're nearing the end!!


	11. Default Chapter Title

Birth of a New Demon, 11

AnimeCat: One more chapter, people!! Review!! Please! As a final favor, I know I have at least 10 readers that stayed with me through the whole thing…could I please get a review from each of you on the last chapter? 

Ja!

@-------

Kiane hung up the phone about an hour after she called, and Aseka came in to look for something.

"What's up, Kiane?" She asked, seeing Kiane's breezy expression.

"Mom," Kiane turned very serious, looking at Aseka in the eyes. "I don't mean to be morbid…but what would you do if Dad died?"

Aseka appeared suddenly very cold. She sat down near Kiane and kept herself very stiff.

"It's all right," Aseka said, "Kiane…I always carry a gun. With my childhood and teen years…you'd see the logic in it easily. I don't mean to be morbid either…and though this may hurt, the moment your father dies is the split second before I take it out and kill myself."

Kiane looked as if someone _had_ actually died. Her jaw went slack. "I love Kien more than life. Not more than you or Solo…neither of us do. We both went nutso for a while when you vanished. Solo stayed with his uncle on L3 for almost a year. But I cannot see myself without him. I refuse to. I refuse to see myself without my children," She said, smiling faintly and brushing Kiane's hair from her face. It fell back again, but Aseka didn't move again. "I refuse to see myself without this family. You understand, don't you?"

Kiane returned the faint smile, and looked down at her hands. "I wish I could. I hope someday I can be as attached as you." She sighed. 

"You will be." Aseka nodded. Kiane stood up. She turned to Aseka a moment later with an unreadable expression on her face.

"Mom, would it be all right if I took the Zero out for a test flight? Just for a little extra practice."

Aseka nodded. "It's fine." She said. Kiane smiled, kissed Aseka on the cheek and left the room.

~~~~~~~

__

This is fun, she thought as she slashed the beam saber around. Up, down, to the right, to the left… Kiane really liked the Wing and the sight of the huge metal feathers on the bottom of her screens when she moved. 

She suddenly heard a shrill beeping sound. She looked up at the switchboard with wild confusion.

"What--?" She breathed as a small red light flashed in sync with the beeping. Then she caught on. "An enemy? Where?" Her eyes zipped from one end of the screen to the other. 

Out of the corner of her eye she saw it. The white suit, coming so quickly it had to be painful for the pilot.

"Tallgeese." Kiane acknowledged. She had a feeling she should turn on the ZERO system, so she did. As it kicked in, she felt a strange excitement. Found it oddly _funny_ that the Tallgeese was coming to challenge her.

"Kiane Yuy." The woman named Luna called as she came closer. "I came here to assassinate you…but I want to work something out."

Under the influence of the system, Kiane found no reason to respond.

"I want to duel you. If you win-- that's it. I'm switching sides. If I win…I'm very, very sorry."

"How do you know I won't kill you rather than accept your surrender?" Kiane smiled. She could practically hear Luna smile.

"Because you're not just any soldier. You're a Gundam pilot." Luna said with praise. 

"Then lets fight, Luna. Let's see if you're worth my time." Kiane challenged. She pulled out her beam gatling, and Luna raised her beam cannon. 

At the same exact moment, they fired. Kiane managed to dodge, but the heat of the beam made her skin tingle and burn. She shut her eyes tight to keep away the burning light. Wing jolted suddenly because Tallgeese had fired at it with the Vulcan guns. Kiane felt the rush in her brain due to the system starting to take effect. 

Fire...fire again…dodge…

She could see how easily she could defeat and kill Luna…but then she remembered. She wasn't to kill Luna…remember, remember, remember, she told herself over and over again. 

"You're very good at this, Luna." She commented lightly. Luna chuckled.

"Thank you, princess. Shall we duel?" Luna asked, wrenching her beam saber from its place. Kiane, who still clutched hers, lifted it up and charged.

Kiane had never had any training with the saber, but for some reason, she had no problems using it.

Slash, to the right, to the left, dodge…

"Your methods are sloppy." Luna criticized. Kiane allowed herself a light chuckle.

"I've never used it before in combat, let alone ever being trained with it." She responded, slashing at Luna. 

"Impossible." Luna gasped. "They're sloppy…but your moves are…natural."

"Thank you. Must have got them from my grandfather." Kiane smirked.

"Ah yes, I forget you're the granddaughter of the greatest pilot of all time." Luna said.

Dodge, slash, up, down…

This was confusing for Kiane. If they were enemies…why were they smiling and laughing at each other? Weren't battles supposed to be filled with risks and anger? _Because she's not your enemy! Remember, remember, remember…_

Slash, slash, dodge…

Luna had lost her saber. With another fast charge, Luna was completely disarmed and completely at Kiane's mercy. 

"Well," Kiane smiled. "Was that good enough for you?"

Luna sighed. "Well, I suppose I'm going down in history as a traitor." But she didn't really seem too unhappy.

"So you're the new Benedict Arnold, who cares?"

Tallgeese gave a clumsy bow. "I pledge my loyalty to you, Princess Kiane." She promised earnestly. 

~~~~~~~

A week passed. Luna's loyalty was never questioned once. She passed information to them freely about L3, and the force they were working up.

"The thing is," She said to Solo, Kiane, and Jake one day. "The army is following Zeke and I. Not Ms. Schbeiker. If I'm gone, they follow Zeke. If Zeke leaves…the army totally breaks apart. Um…have you told Mr. Maxwell about Ms. Schbeiker?" She asked suddenly.

Solo and Kiane stared at their shoes. "We're not planning on telling him or grandma. In fact…only Cedric, Quatrine, Sarra, Harmony, Marin and the four of us know, and we're gonna keep it that way if we can." Solo said sheepishly. "I don't even want to think about what it would do to Grandma. The other day I asked her, just to see, and she told me they were like sisters for a long time, and the last time they saw each other was when Mom was sixteen."

Luna sighed and nodded. "I see. Then we'll try to avoid them finding out."

"So…what can we do about Zeke? If we can get him to switch sides…we can totally avoid _any_ bloodshed!" Kiane said. Solo stared at her oddly.

"I saw a bit of Grandmother in you just now." He said, a little freaked. Her hand shot to her mouth and she covered it, looking horrified. Jake draped his arm over her shoulder and she calmed down.

"That is the plan, though." Luna agreed. "If people don't need to die…I'm not going to allow it."

"Wouldn't Zeke have looked for you? --I mean…he told me that you two were pretty close…" Solo stammered. Luna blushed slightly. 

"I don't know how we can be, now. On opposite sides like this…" She whispered. "But yes, if he wants me back…he'll come for me. I-- I don't know if I want that or not." Her voice trembled. 

Kiane collapsed to the ground, and her body trembled as if she was having a seizure. 

__

…"Hey, that's my--" She can see herself calling… "Well, Solo, I guess you got the email…" Zeke…that must be Zeke… "The war is over, Zeke…accept it, my friend…" "What are you doing?" The image changed suddenly, showing two elderly women in a tiny apartment… "This is the only way, Ms. Schbeiker…We get rid of the Gundams and we can attack again in a few years…" She held a small control… "No! That's…oh God, that's Duo! No, Lady F, its over…we lost…"

Kiane sat up straight, startling everyone. 

"Solo…" She started slowly, looking up at him. "I think you should check your email." 

~~~~~~~

__

"You have mail." Solo clicked on the mailbox, and saw one letter waiting for him. 

Get ready, Solo. Tonight. Today we're going to settle the score. I know That the Wing is in perfect condition. Fight me in the Wing instead of DeathsWings. Meet me at midnight east of L3. There's no risk of anything happening out there. Don't worry, cuz, its no trap. 

~Zeke Merquise, Epyon

"Well," Solo snapped at no one. "Looks like he wants to reenact the last battle between the suits. Fine then." He looked toward his door, which was open. The halls were dark. Luna, Kiane, Solo, Cedric, Sarra, Harmony, Marin, Jake, and Quatrine all stayed at the base now. It was easiest, considering they spent every waking minute checking the suits. Hopefully, if all went well at midnight, it wouldn't have been necessary. 

~~~~~~~~~

School was out, now, and the base that had once been a corporate building was now empty. The teenagers had chosen the second floor for sleeping, and had each an old, empty office to camp out in. The lobby was too open to the public. 

Kiane couldn't sleep very well that night. Her door seemed to have a mind of its own, and it opened and shut of its own accord. Kiane passed time by watching it. It was funny, because at a quarter to midnight, so said her clock; a shadow appeared on the opposite hall.

She sat up and waited for the person--or thing?-- to pass. Moments later, Solo passed by in a space suit. Kiane got up and followed him quietly, hanging back. When he got to the base, Kiane expected him to grab his mobile suit and head out. Apparently he was about to duel Zeke. Solo paused momentarily, looking at the Wing Zero and DeathsWings, which stood next to each other. 

Then he climbed up to the Wing. 

"Hey!" She shouted shrilly as the Wing Zero fired up and the locking gates opened. "That's my--" The Wing zoomed away, "…mobile suit."

~~~~~~~

AnimeCat: The last battle approaches!! Use of the ZERO system shows someone the pain inflicted long ago, starting with Daye Maxwell…and continuing with Hilde Schbeiker. But it's far from over. Tomorrow, one more person will make the ultimate sacrifice for this family….

Review!!!


	12. Default Chapter Title

Birth of a New Demon Finale!

AnimeCat: My gift to you! Posting the last chapter, even thought I just posted chapter 11. *cracks knuckles* Now on to those new romances I've been working on…oops, did I say that out loud? ^_~ Okay, okay, I admit it…I'm only posting this now so I can start new projects….*hangs head*

Ok, maybe I could have done better when I originally wrote this but I like this ending a helluva lot more than Demons. 

Please? If you read the last chapter will everyone who stuck with this saga please review? There's only like ten of you. 

@-------

The Epyon looked almost, _breathtaking_ in the vastness of space, looking all as intimidating as it should. 

"Well, Solo, I guess you got the email." Zeke said.

"Yeah. And now I've got a little more training on the beam saber."

"That won't help you much."

"Let's find out, okay?"

"Ready when you are." Zeke said challengingly. Solo had lied; he actually _hadn't_ had any more training with the saber. He looked at the keypad and typed in the command.

Z E R O

_Now all I can do is pray that I can handle this…_

All at once, he felt something very, very wrong. His vision was slowly slacking off. He blinked, again, and again, and his sight would momentarily return to normal before becoming fuzzy again seconds later. 

Zeke sped to him. Solo lifted the beam Gatling and fired. The beam rebounded off of Epyon, doing no damage. His vision was getting worse…things were getting black…

He shook his head to clear it and kept going. Then his sight went out like a light. He gasped-- drawing breath in so quickly his chest made a frightening whistling sound. All around was blackness. Solo could hear-- oh yes, he could hear. He could hear _everything_. The sound of Wings' gears grinding together…the sound of Zeke's labored breathing, and his comm. Link wasn't on. 

__

Breathe, Solo…just breathe… He told himself over and over again. And despite the fact that he couldn't see, he found himself still firing the beam Gatling and firing the Vulcan guns at Zeke, and he could hear it when he missed and when he made a direct hit. 

Then he could see without really seeing. It started slowly, as a gray spot in the blackness that surrounded him. Then soft yellow, then finally it hit him as warm sunlight, with Harmony standing there in front of him. He breathed lightly, and reached out to touch her as a beam shot through her, tearing the apparition to pieces. He could even hear her scream…

The Wing trembled violently as Zeke's heat rod hit him and pulled the Gatling from him. He swore harshly for a moment. Then, out of the blackness, Zeke appeared, and he, too, was torn by the beam. He began to see everyone slowly, one by one. People he had never even met before flashed in front of his eyes. Then familiar faces returned. Sarra…Harmony…Daye…his entire family soon followed.

Solo saw the last one, and realized it was two people, two elderly women. One, with short white-blue hair and wide blue eyes, and the other with straight, shoulder-length, pale blond hair and dead, infinite eyes of cold steel. The beam tore only through the blue-eyed woman. The other reached her hand out toward Solo with bony hands and sharp fingernails. 

"I took everything she taught me…" She rasped to him as he desperately tried to escape her touch, "…and I used it. Do you understand, boy? I used it…I used it _well_. All for my colony…I no longer cared about Daye…she was my best friend until she left me alone with Madame L for that damn Gundam pilot… Oh yes, she was more than a best friend…she was my _sister,_ boy…do you understand? My _sister…_she thought I was weak…so she took care of me until your stupid grandfather took her from me…she was the weak one, not I… I hate her, now… Do you understand, boy? I could care less about you all…I don't care that you're my great-nephew… Nissa and Daye Likino…she never realized it…she never realized that Aseka, _Mother,_ was watching her as she grew in the orphanage…watching her _closely. _They both left me after a while…and I'm having my revenge now… I am Lady F…but my name wasn't always Nissa Fontanel, once upon a time it was Nissa Likino…"

"Oh my God…" Solo choked as the apparition backed away. She had hurt the beam…it represented those who had been hurt by Lady F. All in some way. Directly-- Harmony, Zeke and Luna, and indirectly, himself and all his cousins, his sister, and all his relatives. Madame L, apparently his great grandmother, had directly hurt Daye. That last one to get torn by the beam…that had to be Hilde Schbeiker. Solo grew enraged at the apparition of the pale haired woman, and he lifted up his beam saber and tore her in half. 

The saber hit something. A pained scream echoed in his ears. As his vision restored, he realized that he'd hit Zeke head-on with the saber, rendering the Epyon completely useless. Solo could see bits of jagged metal floating from the Epyon.

"ZEKE!" He screamed. Over his Comm. Link, he heard a faint cough. 

"I'm okay, Solo. I…I'm not in any danger." He sounded sick. 

"The war is over, Zeke, accept it, my friend." Solo said softly. "I know it won't be easy…your pride is even greater than mine…but Cedric's girlfriend Sarra is going to be leader of the colonies, now. You can talk to her, as chief rep of L3…and fix something out…okay?"

Zeke coughed again. Then Solo could practically hear Zeke nod. 

"Okay." He admitted faintly. "Now…just take me to Luna…let me see Luna…that's all I want…"

Solo smiled. "Sure thing, Zeke."

~~~~~~~~

Duo linked hands with Daye as they walked to the abandoned building. 

"This brings back memories, doesn't it?" Duo asked cheerfully. Daye whistled. 

"Sure does." She sighed. They pried open the door and went in happily, to pick up the remaining bits of information on the computers. The Gundams would stay in the base until, God forbid, they were needed again.

"It's great to have the war over, isn't it?" Daye asked, looking at DeathsWings as Duo hacked into the computers. "Kiane moves to earth today …God…I can't believe we just found her seven months ago… And Solo's going with her…" She said wistfully.

"To be precise…he's going with Harmony to Rouen, but since she's going to reside in Sanq…" He smiled. "At least Cedric and Sarra are staying up here."

"Just like in the old days, with King Peacecraft and Heero Yuy. One on earth, the other in space. Relena must be in her element right about now."

"Didn't Quatrine decide to go with Kiane?" Duo asked, looking up at her.

"Yeah. Remember, Kiane is about as clueless with pacifism as we are. Quatrine is going to help her. Marin is going, too."

"Why?" He asked quickly. 

"She want's to help Kiane. And of course Jake is going…" Daye smiled. 

"What did Jay have to say about his daughter partaking in pacifism?" Duo laughed. 

"He's a little too busy with his son now, remember, old timer?" Daye put her hand on his shoulder. 

"How could I forget? There's finally another Maxwell to keep up with the Maxwell legacy." Duo said happily. "Alec Kattra Maxwell."

"Almost done?" She asked, looking at the computer. "We have a flight to catch. We have to make it to Kiane's first speech."

"Yeah…" He said as he finished with the last program. He shut down the computer and left the room, shutting off the lights and looking at the Gundams for the last time before walking out the door, sighing.

~~~~~~~~~

Across the street, in a high rise building, two old women watched them exit the base. 

"Ready, Ms. Schbeiker?" Lady F asked, pulling the remote from her pocket. 

"What?" Hilde asked, startled, torn from her sight of her best friends. She hadn't seen them in so long… Then she saw was Lady F was doing. "What are you doing?" She demanded shrilly. 

"There's a wire that will trigger an explosion here, and it will carry it to their base."

"But…you'd kill Duo and Daye!" Hilde protested. 

"If the fools move a little quicker, maybe they'll only be in a coma for about a week." Lady F said coldly. "We have to get out of here, or the explosion will catch us."

"No! I won't let you!" Hilde shouted defiantly. 

"It's the only way, Ms. Schbeiker. If we get rid of the Gundams now, we can attack again in a few years."

She looked down at the box of explosives and set the timer. 

"No! That's…oh God, that's Duo! No, Lady F, its over…we lost…" Hilde continued. "I won't let you hurt them!" 

"Hilde…" The woman growled harshly. "Do you want to die along with them?" 

Hilde, full of rage, reached to her gun and instantly fired at Lady F. The woman screamed in pain and tightly held her shoulder. She backed up and slid against the wall.

"Well," Lady F said coldly. "I see I have my answer." And she slowly limped out. "Have fun with the explosion, my friend." She called as she moved down the hall. 

Hilde turned to the box and desperately tried to shut the timer off. But the only thing she could see that could be done was isolate the explosion, so it wouldn't touch the other building. She looked out the window, and saw that Duo and Daye still stood there, staring up at the building, thinking of the past, and undoubtedly, her at some point. Why they hadn't heard from her in so long. Why the godmother of their children had lost touch. Hilde held back her tears. 

"It's the only way…" She said softly. She knew there wasn't enough time to get out of the building. She nodded and made sure the explosion would be isolated. She was ready to die for Duo once and she was ready to die for him again. She sat down slowly, now violently sick and listened for the beeping of the timer. 

10…9…8…7…6…5…4…_Good bye, my friends…_1…

Duo and Daye both turned around as the top six floors of the building behind them exploded. They covered their eyes and stood their ground. 

Inside Daye's head, she felt the slightest bit of her old psychic ability make itself known. _She died for you, you know._ She shook her head to clear the thought, because though she didn't consciously know what it meant, deep in the subconscious of her brain, she was crying. 

"God--" Duo started swearing heavily. "We'd better get out of here. Terrorists-- I swear to God…" He muttered icily. He took her hand and led her back to the car, neither of them seeing the old woman with pale hair and cold eyes walk away with the bullet hole in her arm.

__

~~~~~~~

"Are you nervous, Kiane?"

"We're proud of you, hon."

"Go get 'em, sis."

"I know you can do it, Kian."

"It's easy, Kiane, all you have to do is start by saying

"Hello." She said confidently. "My name is Kiane Yuy. I was raised in a church by the name of Kian Zachary, and now I will come to you as Kiane Peacecraft. Like my grandmother, the princess before me, I believe that true peace is the only way that one can live." The crowd began to applaud, and she continued. "However--" And they instantly stopped. "I believe that battle is necessary all the same."

She paused, avoiding their gaze and their reproach for her words. 

"Without battle, one cannot see how harsh it is, and one cannot compare it to peace and know that peace is the right. If one has suffered in a war, they will know peace is the way they want to live. But those who have not suffered do not know why there should be peace, because to them, what's the difference? Peace or war-- what does it matter? They have not endured the pains of war. And that is why there must be battle. And also why there must be peace. So that people can decide for themselves. We are not here to brainwash or to preach, we are here to guide…to teach…to live by our own teachings. Now…I leave it to you to decide if I am fit to lead the Sanq Kingdom."

She glanced up at her family, who were all smiling brightly, lost for words. Some of them--her grandfather and uncle included-- were rolling their eyes but still smiling proudly. Harmony, in full princess garb, appeared to be taking notes.

In the silent room, one person applauded…then two…then suddenly, she almost had to cover her ears as what she had said took affect. In the applause, she could distinguish her uncles' "You go, girl!" very easily. _He's loud,_ she thought happily. 

And Kiane became queen of the Sanq Kingdom on that day. 

@-------

AnimeCat: To reduce confusion, a friend of mine will be hosting Daye's original fic in a few weeks on her site. If you wanna read it, email me ([AnimeCatARA@aol.com][1]) and I'll link you…but remember to sign her guestbook!!

There is a sequel to this fic! Incomplete at the moment, but eventually I will finish it. HOWEVER, it won't be posted in chapters on Fanfiction.Net, rather, my website which I just started. Again, write me and I'll link you. 

Thanks for sticking with me, people! Please? A review from each of you? 

   [1]: mailto:AnimeCatARA@aol.com



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